After The Battle: A MMPSH Tale
by AmHawk
Summary: This is a story Leafia111 and I are working on. After the battle of Kenji, Nairi has to recover. Toshi, Yumi, Mandy, Flow, Rika and the newest recruit, Rata, will find a new adventure there while Toshi's sister takes a rest.
1. Chapter 1

Well, after the battle, Nairi was recovering from her injury. She has eight mew mew lives left. Her brother was concerned about her and waited. Yumi fought hard too. Nairi woke up by Rika's purrig,  
>"Rika, what are you doing?" she asked, "I'm trying to recover."<br>"Hold on, cousin," Rika replied, "Let me tend to your wound."  
>"Isn't that Auntie Tammy's job?" Nairi asked.<br>"Auntie Tammy was kind enough to teach me how to heal wounds," Rika answered, "so that's what I'm doing right now. Can you please hold still?"  
>"You're kidding..." Nairi added.<br>"She's right, Nairi," Flow called, "She wants to help you recover. Better get used to that scar, because it's not going anywhere."  
>Nairi felt embarrased. Then it faded away when she felt something that stung her wound.<br>"Owie! Hey!"  
>"Nairi, please keep still," Rika mewed.<br>Flow pinned her down a little so Rika could work on her wound.  
>"Nairi, I think you may as well do what she says," Flow purred, "She's almost done."<br>Rika finished patching up and put on a new cast around Nairi's hips. Felt very uncomfortable. Rika loosened it up a bit. The pain was over.  
>"Thank you, Rika..." Nairi wailed.<br>"I tried my best..." Rika purred with tears in her eyes.  
>She cuddled Nairi as she purred. Nairi forgot about the pain once it's healed by Rika's handy work. She could never wished for a better family.<p>

Toshi never got wounded. He found Yumi flying.  
>"You seem worried," Yumi said to him after landing.<br>"Its Nairi.." Toshi had told her, "Im worried about her."  
>"She'll be fine, Nairi's a tough girl. A little wound like that isn't going to bring her down."<br>"I hope your right.." Toshi still wasn't sure. Yumi had picked up on his discomfort and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "Worrying about it isn't going to do anything. If you really want to, we could go see her once Tammy and Rika let us. Okay?"  
>"Allright. Thanks Yumi, I feel a little better now."<br>Yumi simply smiled, then went back to flying.

Toshi and Yumi had visited Nairi about an hour later. They had brought some flowers, as it seemed like the thing to do. "Hi Nairi. Your looking a lot better." Yumi had said when Toshi gave the flowers to her.  
>"Thanks, I feel a little better. Mmm These flowers smell really nice, thanks you guys."<br>"I was kind of worried about you sis, so Yumi and I decided to check up on you."  
>Nairi smiled at her brother.<br>Thank you," she said sweetly, "Both of you."  
>Am looked for Toshi, and Yumi left. Toshi saw his mother looking at him.<br>"You did a good thing," she added sweetly.  
>"Thanks, Mom..." Toshi wailed.<br>"So this tiny wound will heal, huh?" Mandy sneered.  
>"Knock it off, Mandy!" Toshi scolded, "She lost her first life to save little Rika! How would you feel if you were that defencless!"<br>"Escuse me!" Mandy said carcasticly.  
>"She seems like a pain," Am added to her son, "like the star mew mews never existed."<br>"She's annoying," Toshi replied, "but she prayed to them and gave us nine mew mew lives. She does believe in them. Believe me, Mom. She helped us out!"  
>Am gave her son a nod.<p>

Nairi watched Rika checking out her wound. It's healing pretty well.  
>"It is deep, but it won't cost you another life," she purred, "I'm sure in a couple of weeks, you'll be on your feet again."<br>"What if I got to go?" Nairi asked.  
>"Huh? You mean bathroom? You can, but be careful not to reopen that wound."<br>Rika was trying to help her out.  
>"I think I found a thing that will be useful."<br>Nairi looked at the elastic cloth band with a healing patch in the middle of it.  
>"If you got to go," Rika added, "put this on above your hips and make sure the healing patch is over your wound. It'll prevent it from reopening."<br>Nairi nodded. She layed her head down. She saw a shadow and it looked like it had four wings.  
>'Phooey, that was only my imagination,' Nairi thought.<br>She rested her head a little longer.  
>"Get you hands off me you crazy Murkrow!"<br>It was a female voice coming from the outside. Nairi checked out the window.  
>There was Mandy, and another girl. Mandy had grabbed and pulled her arms behind her to prevent her from flying off. Currently her four wings were frantically flapping.<br>"I Said get off me!" The girl said again, even louder than before.  
>"Why should I? I caught you trespassing!" Mandy sneered.<br>"Would you give me a moment to explain?" The girl was struggling even harder now, and Mandy had let her go.  
>"Thank you."<br>"Who are you?"  
>"My name is Rata, and I didnt know this place belonged to you. I was simply flying over, trying to practice some attacks."<br>The girl had hair that was a couple inches past her shoulders, and was in a ponytail, Nairi had noticed. She had crobat wings, and bright yellow eyes that seemed to have a ting of regret in them. "Why did you come here then?"  
>"Once again, I didnt know you were here. The wind also carried me here." Rata had a bit of a smirk on, which Mandy took as a challenge. She tensed up as if to attack when a voice interrupted her.<br>"Thats enough Mandy.. Let the girl rest." It was Flow, whos blind eyes werent quite on the witch, but the intention was there either way. She turned to the new girl, and smiled. "Im Flow. Your welcome to stay here for a short time. We might ask you some questions later."  
>"Thank you, I think."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, good grief..." Mandy sneered.  
>"Hey!" Gar called, "What's that racket?"<br>"Daddy..." Flow wailed.  
>"What did I say about strangers?" Gar scolded at Mandy.<br>"Daddy, be reasonable," Flow mewed, "She was passing through. She needs a place to stay."  
>Gar looked at Rata, then back at his daughter.<br>"You're just like your mother, Flow," he purred, "Offering someone to stay."  
>Flow smiled sweetly at her father. Mandy glared blankly at Rata, who returned the glance with a smile. She continued to follow Flow, slighty afraid that she would get lost or attacked again.<br>"Was that your father?" She asked, curious.  
>"Yes."<br>"You look like him."  
>"Thanks." Flow smiled, and lead her inside. "You can stay here for as long as you'd like, Ill bring you some food later. Gets some rest until then." She waved goodby to Rata and turned to walk away, dragging Mandy along with her.<p>

"What was that?" Nairi had asked Flow when she came back to her.  
>"Mandy and an outsider had a litttle fight. It was a misunderstanding though, Rata ,the girl, was just passing by. You might get to speak to her later."<br>"Allright, sounds good." Flow was taking the moments of silence to orginize the medicine and healing supplies. As she put some stuff away, she asked Nairi if she was hungry.  
>"No I'm fine for now, Thanks for asking though."<br>"Your welcome."  
>"Hey!"<br>Toshi entered inside. He glanced at Mandy.  
>"What was all that about?" he asked.<br>Nairi fliped to her stomach.  
>"It was Mandy fighting an outsider..." she wailed to her brother, "She might stay here for a bit."<br>"An outsider?" Toshi echoed, "You can't be serious, sis!"  
>"I thought is was my imagination..."<br>"Why would Mandy be-"  
>"Toshi, there you are!"<br>Otto entered inside Nairi's room.  
>"Dad?" he added, "I was getting through her..."<br>"You sister needs rest, son," Otto replied, "She'll be home soon. Let's leave her for now."  
>Toshi sadley glanced at his sister.<br>"Get better soon, sis..." he wailed.  
>Nairi nodded to her brother and fell asleep. She can tell how he feels about her. After loosing her first mew mew life, she felt lucky. She's still alive, and has eight mew mew lives left.<p>

Toshi was taking a walk the next night. A four winged shadow was following him.  
>"What the-!"<br>Toshi looked around his surroundings in alarm.  
>"Bah! It was only my head playing tricks on me..." he mumbled.<br>"Or it could be someone behind you."  
>"Wha?" Toshi turned around and sparked up instinctivly. The Four winged girl, who he asumed the ousider, didn't meet his challenge. She tensed up incase he attacked her, but didn't attack him. "Why are you here?" Toshi asked her, only relaxing a little bit.<br>"I was simply passing by when I was attacked by that murkrow girl. That blind girl, Flow I think her name was, let me stay here tempoarily."  
>She folded her wings, and relaxed completly. She didn't want to have to hurt anyone, and she hoped neither did he.<br>"But, if you would be so kind, as to let me sleep, I might be gone by the morning." She narrowed her eyes and shooed him away. Afterwords she settled herself down on the floor by the corner and fell asleep.

"What a strange girl.." Toshi mumbled to himself after that event.  
>"So you saw her, didn't you?" Mandy added.<br>"Oh, I didn't know she was that girl you were struggling with," Toshi added, "She scared the wits out of me! She didn't attack me, that's for sure."  
>"She knows that an eletric type like you are sronger than flying types like me," Mandy replied with a smurk in her face, "If Yumi ever ran into her, she might-"<br>"Oh, you're full of bolonie!" Toshi sneered.

Mya was training Rika and Flow was taking care of Nairi at the medicine house.  
>"That Rata appears at night," she purred, "I think she has Shadow Hunter blood in her like your father, and mine."<br>"A strange Shadow Hunter girl, very interesting..."  
>It was a Vulpix woman with green eyes.<br>"Auntie Erica!" Nairi called, "You know about what's going on here?"  
>"MMmmm."<br>"Auntie Erica, I didn't know you were coming in," Flow added, "You're so quiet, it's hard for me to feel your vribrations."  
>"Flow, you're right. I shouldn't startle you like that," Erica replied, "Rata was the one young Mandy had a struggle with? She is in a treehouse at the moment where she sleeps. I might say, that Crobat girl has an attitude."<br>"Toshi saw her last night," Nairi wailed, "He said she scared him."  
>Erica kneeled to her neice.<br>"He did?" she asked.  
>"Sure did," Nairi answered, "I bet she's sleeping in that treehouse by now."<br>"I may want a talk with your brother," Erica added, "Where is he?"  
>"Training, I think..."<p>

Toshi got done with his training and found Erica waiting for him.  
>"Auntie Erica!" he called, "I wasn't expecting you to show up!"<br>"I want a talk," Erica replied to her nephew, "Did you see that Crobat girl?"  
>"How did you know that?" Toshi asked.<br>"Your sister told me," Erica answered.  
>"Ok then." "Anyway, I think that she might be a valuable asset to your training. Crobats are often extremly fast, and learning to fight her might help you."<br>"Ok.. Ill think about it. Could I fight her tomorrow?"  
>"If she'll let you." Erica smiled at him, and Toshi smiled back.<p>

Nairi tried to stand up, and managed to without too much trouble. Her wound was almost fully healed, and She thinks she could go back to training soon. She also wanted to meet the New girl, but that could wait.  
>"Flow, is it ok if I take a short walk?"<br>"It should be. Just don't strain yourself. Tomorrow or the next day the wound should be fully healed, but that doesnt mean it cant reopen."  
>"Allright." She walked passed her and went outside. The sun was shining bright, and a little ways off she heard Yumi sparring Rika. She decided to watch them, given shell return to training soon. Rika had her claws drawn, and Yumi was up in the air tensed up for a tackle. She dropped, and would have knocked over Rika if she hadn't ducked at the last second.<br>"What's going on here?"  
>"Mommy!"<br>Mya saw her daughter and Yumi training.  
>"Rika, where's Nairi?" she asked.<br>"I don't know!" Rika wailed, "I thought she's with Flow!"  
>"I was training Rika a while ago," Yumi added, "Maybe she needs to use some swift moves!"<br>"I left a while ago and-"  
>"You still haven't answer my questen," Mya scolded.<br>"She went for a walk!" Rika wailed, "I left before Nairi said anything. Don't be mad, Mommy!"  
>Mya relaxed.<br>"You're just like me when I was your age, Rika..."  
>"Mya, Rika didn't do anything wrong," Yumi added, "She was training with me the whole time."<br>"Okay,"

Nairi felt a little weak and passed out under a tree.  
>"Oh, I'd never letted her go outside," Flow wailed, "Mommy would kill me..."<br>She picked Nairi up and took her back to the medicine house. Nairi woke up and found herself back in bed.  
>"You passed out," Flow purred.<br>"I was doing fine," Nairi replied, "but I felt a little weak."  
>"I'm keeping a close eye on you now!" Flow sneered, "I'm keeping my guard up!"<br>"Flow, I'll look after her."  
>Flow turned her head.<br>"Auntie Am!" she shreaked.  
>Am came to her daughter. She felt calm when Nairi met her mother's gaze.<br>"Flow, tell your mother that I'm looking after her now," Am said calmly to her niece.  
>"Of course, Auntie Am," Flow purred.<br>Flow left leaving Am with her daughter. The purple mark on her hair loop shows how many lives she has. Eight, like Nairi's.  
>"Flow's right," she said, "You shouldn't be outside in that condiction."<br>"Mommy..." Nairi wailed.  
>"Don't worry," Am replied, "I'll stay with you for tonight."<br>"Oh, thanks, Mommy... I would love that."  
>"Go to sleep now, little one."<br>Am watched Nairi go to sleep and she looked for a place to rest for herself.

Toshi returned from his training and found Rika sitting.  
>"Hey, what is it?" he asked.<br>"I've never seen Mommy this conserned before," Rika wailed.  
>Toshi saw tears running down her face.<br>"Hey, it's okay..." he said softly.  
>Rika hugged her cusen. Toshi can tell how upset she is. Mya found her nephew and her daughter.<br>"Mommy!" Rika wailed.  
>She jumped and got caught in her mother's arms.<br>"She was pretty upset," Toshi added.  
>"Thank you, Toshi," Mya purred, "I'll handle it."<p>

Nairi was still asleep. Am was too. Flow however, was wide awake. She was feeling and smelling the medicine, seeing what she was low on and what she needed more of. She was low on bandages and some watermint. Watermint was best used for stomach problems, and its always good to have plenty around.  
>Unfortunatly, from what she knows there is not a lot around here thats been growing. Flow sighed, but an idea came to her. She left the medicine out and left to where the outsider was staying.<br>"Rata!" She called to her. Her call was answered very soon by the outsider.  
>"What?" She sounded as if she just woke up.<br>"I need a favor from you."  
>Rata jumped down from the tree, and flapped her wings to slow her descent. In a matter of seconds she was face to face with Flow.<br>"Yes?"  
>"Were low on medical supplies. Given your staying with us, heres a way to prove your worth. Do you know where I could get Watermint? Or something to be used as bandages?"<br>"yes actually. Where I used to stay there is an abandoned house. I tried to stay there for a short time but the cobwebs and silverfish bothered me too much. I know the location and I can get you some If you want."  
>"Thank you." Flow smiled, "Do you think youll be back by morning?"<br>"Maybe."


	3. Chapter 3

Nairi woke up the next morning, and saw her mother is gone.  
>"Mommy?" Nairi wailed in alarm. "Mommy, where are you? Mommy?"<br>"You're mother's not here at the moment."  
>It was Erica.<br>"Auntie Erica, where is she?" Nairi asked.  
>"She went with your Auntie Mya and Flow," Erica answered, "I'll be looking after you now."<br>Nairi was still worried about her mother. She went back to sleep and hope her mother would come back for her. Erica sighed and kneeled close to her niece.  
>"Look, your mother had other things," she said.<br>"Why didn't she tell me she was going somewhere?" Nairi sobbed.  
>"Don't cry, I know you're worried about her."<br>Erica cuddled her niece close to her. Nairi's tears rolled down her face.  
>"Sorry she didn't tell you," Erica said kindly to her niece.<br>Nairi tried to sniff down the last of the tears, and hugged her aunt closer. She blinked out the last of the tears, and smiled.  
>"It's ok, she might have just not wanted to wake me up." She said to herself mostly.<br>"That's the spirit.." They hugged for a few moments before Erica spoke up, "Would you like anything?"  
>"I'm kind of hungry, but I think I can get some food myself."<br>"Ok, if you want to..." Erica let go of Nairi and got up. "If you need anything, just call me."  
>"Ok auntie." Erica left the room.<p>Toshi charged up a thunder bolt, and aimed it at the target. The force of the blow was enough to shatter the target. However, given it was a cardboard-plastic target, that was to be expected. He was smiling when he saw Yumi walking towards him.<br>"Hey have you seen Flow anywhere?" she asked.  
>"Not since last night," Toshi answered, "Why?"<br>"Toshi! Yumi!"  
>"Rika?"<br>The Leopardas girl came running to them.  
>"Rika, have you seen your sister?" Yumi asked.<br>"Last night," Rika answered, "Why's that?"  
>Rika tried to think about her sister.<br>"Hey, there's no need to fuss over me,"  
>"Flow!"<br>Rika ran up to her sister.  
>"Hey, what's with the handfull of watermint?" Toshi asked.<br>"Rata was kind enough to give me some," Flow answered.  
>"Rata?" Yumi asked, "You don't mean-"<br>"Yes, she's staying here," Flow replied, "I need to get to the medicine house to put this away. Rika, care to help me out?"  
>"Sure!"<br>The two sisters left. Yumi and Toshi were alone.  
>"You don't have to fuss over my cusen," Toshi added, "She knows what she's doing,"<br>"I sure hope your right..." Yumi replied.  
>Toshi kissed Yumi on her right cheek to make sure he is right. He gave her a nod.<p>

Nairi waited for her wound to heal. She is really bored. Rika went out for a walk and bumbed into a yellow haired boy. He had sperrow wings and yellow green eyes.  
>"I'm so sorry..." Rika wailed.<br>"Hey, no biggie," the boy answered, "I'm Huey by the way. I haven't seen you before. Who are you?"  
>Rika's eyes sparkle at the boy.<br>"I'm Rika," she added.  
>Rika looked in his eyes and her tail started to swich.<br>"Hey!"  
>Rika got back to reality.<br>"You were staring at me. You were like zoned out."  
>Rika folded her ears back.<br>"I'm sorry," she mewed, "I was staring at you because... um... you're hansome..."  
>"What's with the mask?" Huey asked.<br>"You know I'm a Leopardas, right?" Rika purred, "So I always keep my mask on. I take it off when I go to sleep."  
>"Well, I want to see what you look like with your mask off," Huey added.<br>"I don't know..." Rika mewed, "I don't think it's a good idea. It might ruin my dignaty if I do..."  
>"Can't be that bad," Huey said in a calm tone, "I'll never laugh at you..."<br>"I'll show you one day then," Rika purred.  
>"Rika? Rika!"<br>Rika heard her mother calling her.  
>"My mother's calling me..." she mewed.<br>"That is your mother?" Huey asked, "Is she one of those mew mews who fought Fuyuki? He was pure evil."  
>"You're right," Rika added, "She's that little cat girl who-"<br>"RIKA!"  
>"I really should go..."<br>"Bye..."

Rika got back when she got done with her walk.  
>"Rika, where have you been?" Flow growled.<br>"Walking," Rika mewed.  
>"I think you're lying," Flow added, "What were you doing?"<br>"Okay, you got me!" Rika mewed again, "I was talking with a sperrow boy. He seemed nice."  
>"Oh, don't tell me you got a crush on him," Flow purred, "You're too young for stuff like that."<br>"Does the book say anything about that?" Rika chalanged, "about special girls?"  
>Flow paused.<br>"I'm blind, sis!" Flow growled, "I don't read! Nice try!"  
>"Flow, let your sister go!" Mya ordered.<br>"Okay, Mommy..." Flow mewed and backed off.  
>Rika got to her feet and lashed her tail at Flow. Flow folded her ears back in annoyance. Mya walked Rika to the training grounds to talk to her.<br>"Rika, I think you're a lucky girl," she purred to her daughter, "Not every mew mew has this kind of power."  
>"What are ou talking about, Mommy?" Rika asked.<br>"When I was your age," Mya began, "I fell in love with your father."  
>"I heard this story like a hundred times," Rika added.<br>"You haven't heard this one," Mya purred, "I found your father and he looked upset. I tried to get him to tell me what's wrong. It turned out that your Uncle Andrew died during the battle."  
>"Cleo did too..." Rika added, "I feel sorry for her..."<br>"She did, trying to defend Abby," Mya replied, "Anyhow, we were the lucky ones to have this kind of power. The book says, 'Every 20 years, cat mews and Pokemon cat mews between the ages of 8-13 don't get sick from kissing. It's a special thing to Turkish Van cat mews, Glemeows, Meouths, Lerpardases and Persans.' Also it includes flying types like Sperrows and Swellows."  
>"Mommy," Rika mewed, "The boy I met, he is a Sperrow. He must be lucky too." <p>


	4. Chapter 4

Rika thought about what her mother said to her. She is lucky to have a power she proceses. She was walking home and Flow pinned her again.  
>"Daddy!" Rika cried.<br>"Flow, what did your mother tell you about being rough with your sister?" Gar glared.  
>"Sorry, Daddy..." Flow wailed.<br>Rika didn't want to be pinned down or anything rough. She looked out her window, wondering if Nairi will be on her feet.

Nairi saw Flow in a grumpy mood.  
>"Flow, what's up?" she asked, "You look grumpy."<br>"It's my sister," Flow mewed, "She is being defensive."  
>"That's strange," Nairi added, "Usually she's sweet and kind, now she's being secretive? Flow, are you okay?"<br>"I'm fine," Flow replied, "But I shouldn't be harsh on her. My mom told us we have a power somehow. It goes to special types of mew mews, and she's one of them."  
>"Oh, she can't get sick from a kiss..." Nairi said in a calm tone, "She's too young for that!"<br>"That's what I told her," Flow added.  
>She sighed. "I guess we can't do very much right now. We'll agree Rika if we believe it's a problem. Untill then, We just have to hope this boy is nice to her."<br>"Why wouldn't he? She's so sweet!"  
>"You'd be surprised." Flow grew silent, as she had more to say.<p>

Rata woke up, tired. She was naturally Nocturnal, so waking up in the day was often a struggle. Unless of course, she had been awake before then. She got up an streched, as she was a little sore.  
>She had decided to sleep on the floor as she was used to it, and if she were to get used to a bed or a couch, when she had to go back to sleeping in trees or on the floor she'd have a harder time sleeping. It was a bit of a survival thing. She climbed through the window, and jumped out. The often refusal to use a door, however, was just something for fun.<br>"Hey, Toshi!" Rata called.  
>The minun boy turned around.<br>"Yeah, what do you want?" he snorted.  
>"You know that Leopardas girl?" Rata asked, "I saw her with a sperrow boy."<br>"That Leopardas girl is Rika, my cusen," Toshi huffed, "She's too young for romance!"  
>"How old us she?" Rata said with a grin.<br>"Nine, and she has to be fourteen to-"  
>"Toshi!"<br>It was Yumi.  
>"Toshi, Nairi and Flow need a talk with you."<br>He went to his sister and his other cusen.  
>"The book says it is rare to certain types of mew mews," Nairi added, "Look and read this sentance!"<br>Toshi looked in the acient book.  
>"Read it out loud," Mandy called from the doorway.<br>"Okay, keep your shirts on!" Toshi sneered.  
>He looked into the book and read the sentance.<br>"'Every 20 years, cat mews and Pokemon cat mews between the ages of 8-13 don't get sick from kissing. It's a special thing to Turkish Van cat mews, Glemeows, Meouths, Lerpardases and Persans. Sometimes some flying types have that too. Those who do must be Sperrows, Pidgeies, Swellows and Pidgiottos.' There, you happy now? This book does say that, Flow!"  
>"This is crazy..." Flow hissed.<br>"But it isn't," Nairi added, "This law has been passed down during the time of Lila of the Green."  
>"Pardon me for interupting, but what are you talking about?" The crobat girl walked over to the group, hoping she didnt make everything awkward.<br>"Family events, you don't need to know," Mandy snapped.  
>"Allright then. Ill just.. stand here I guess."<br>"..Ok then.. ANYWAY." Flow continued, "Rika is still too young! Besides, We don't even know the boy! He could be a Dark Mew Mew for all we know!"  
>"How do you know that? He could be perfectly fine for all we know," Toshi asked irritably.<br>"As I go back to my point of the Dark mew mews."  
>"Ok, were gonna have to ask the boy before we trust him." Nairi had spoken up. She had wanted to stop any possibility of a fight between Flow and Toshi. It would be terrible if they started to fight.<br>"Problem with that," Rata spoke up again, wanting to take part in this. "1: How do we know the boy will tell the truth? 2: If he is nice and sweet as he appears, then we could possibly scare him away ruining Rikas chances of possible romance. Not saying that its her only chance, shes very pretty. And 3: If he himself isn't a Dark Mew, maybe the people he lives with are Dark mews, which might put both Rika and All of us in Danger."  
>"So your proposing?"<br>"That I follow Rika and the boy next time they go out. I could follow and observe the boy, and find out his intentions," Rata offered.  
>"That would be spying," Mandy added, "Since you put it that way, she won't notice you in the trees."<br>"Mandy, be serious!" Toshi snapped, "What if that boy is a Dark mew mew?"  
>"I was trying to correct another one of your mistakes, Toshi," Mandy huffed, "Rata's purple wings can blend in the trees better than my black ones!"<br>"If Rika catches you, she'll scratch you!" Nairi added.  
>"She won't be catching me," Rata replied, "I'm pretty fast."<br>"Okay, fine," Flow growled.

Rika went back to check on Nairi.  
>"Hi," she mewed happily.<br>"Flow is worried about you," Nairi said uneasy, "What were you doing?"  
>Anger filled in Rika's veins.<br>"That's my business!" she hissed, "I hate meddelers, Nairi. You know that!"  
>"You being secretive?" Toshi asked.<br>"Me, secretive?" Rika mewed, "NEVER!"  
>"Yes, you are!" Toshi snapped, "You better spill it out!"<br>"Toshi, stop!" Flow added, "She's my sister. I'll handle it."  
>Flow took her sister's hand and needed a talk.<br>"You went to see that sperrow boy again, didn't you?" Flow asked calmly, "Now everyone is getting cerious about your actions. You are absolutly too young for stuff like that!"  
>"You don't understand," Rika mewed, "I'm sure Huey is a nice boy. He didn't want to use anything against us..."<br>"We don't even know him," Flow meowed, "You better watch your back, Rika."  
>"Flow, I can look after myself!" Rika growled, "I'm not that little!"<br>"Rika, Flow's right..." Nairi added.  
>"About what? That I'm too small and weak to take care of myself?" Rika hissed and stormed away before Nairi could even respond. "Rika..." Nairi got up, and started to go after her. She thought better of it however. Rika might need some time alone, and she didn't want her to hate her. 'She'll tell me when shes ready.. I hope...' Nairi thought, defeated.<p>

Rika had waited until nightfall before sneaking out. She assumed everyone asleep, and had planned to meet Huey. She was extremly careful, and when she reached the cover of the trees, she ran to the meeting place. The Blonde Sperrow boy was allready there, waiting for her. Rika smiled and greeted Huey.  
>"Hello." She said nervously.<br>"Hi." He said equally as nervous. They were sitting in awkward silence for a short time, but Rika had decided to break it by speaking her concerns.  
>"My Family doesn't trust me meeting you."<br>"Why?"  
>"I guess they think that you're a Dark Mew Mew or something.. You aren't.. right?"<br>"What? No of course not!" Huey replied quickly with a slight edge to his voice.  
>"Good.. I guess it was dumb of me to think so.." Rika smiled.<p>

Unbeknowest to the both of them, Rata was infact awake when Rika had left. She was exploring the areas directly outside her new home, when with her excelent night vision she saw a certain leopardas girl leaving camp.  
>"Looking for something?" Rata called out.<br>Rika turned around and yowled at the crobat girl.  
>"What's the big idea following me?" she hissed.<br>"Just observing," Rata replied.  
>Rika lashed her tail in anger.<br>"Go observe somewhere else!" she growled, "This doesn't consern you anyway!"  
>Rika lept in the bushes. She found Huey Hiding there as well.<br>"What was the yelling about?" he asked.  
>"I'm trying to get that crobat girl off my back," Rika answered.<br>"How are we going to ditch her?" Huey asked.  
>"Man, she's gone," Rata added, "Rika? Rika?"<br>Rika and Huey crawled out scilently.  
>"All right, it worked," Rika purred when they got out the bush into their meeting spot.<br>"Yeah, we lost her," Huey added.  
>"I'm such a smart one," Rika mewed.<br>"Ah, look at you two," Rata called out.  
>"Oh, Pidgiotto feathers!" Rika growled.<br>"Whispering nice things to eachother," Rata continued, "I might say, A cerimony for couples,"  
>"A what?" Rika asked.<br>"A cerimony for the future," Rata answered.  
>"Meaning..." Huey squacked.<br>"One day you two will get married!" Rata replied.  
>"Gross!" Huey yipped.<br>"Icky!" Rika yelped.  
>"I knew it!" Rata added, "You two are too young for this."<br>"Don't be rediculous!" Huey sneered, "She's my friend!"  
>"Yeah," Rika replied.<br>"I hate to bust your bubble, but your sister thinks you're in love with him!" Rata chirped, "The way you reacted will make a good thing to report."  
>"Once I get home, she'll know what's up, and I have to act normal," Rika whispered in Huey's ear.<p>

Rika left and waved goodbye, heading home as fast as she can. 


	5. Chapter 5

Flow was waiting for her sister to return. She ascted normal.  
>"So where have you been?" Flow asked her sister.<br>"Walking..." Rika purred.  
>"I see, you saw him again?" Flow asked.<br>"Yes," Rika mewed and went in her room.  
>'That inorcent trick can't fool me,' Flow thought angerly.<br>Nairi was up on her feet and her wound is fully healed! Toshi heardly noticed it when he saw her scar. Nairi tugged on her shirt to prevent Toshi from seeing her undershirt. Modisty is one of Nairi's personal girl things. Toshi didn't look.  
>"It's healed, fully!" he added.<br>"Yeah. You did look, didn't you?" Nairi scolded.  
>"No! No I didn't!" Toshi wailed, "I would never do a thing like that!"<br>"I know you won't," Nairi teased.  
>Toshi took a breath.<br>"Mom will be happy to hear that," he mumbled sadly.  
>"Toshi..." Nairi cued, "You're my brother. I still love you..."<br>Toshi knows his sister was very caring. Rika can't stay angry at Flow so she purred and hugged her.

Rika was trying to get some sleep, but her stomach was growling. Rika got annoyed and got her tail around it. It didn't work.  
>'Jeez, how can I sleep at a time like this?' she thought, 'I may as well eat something...'<br>She tried to sneak passed the others and keeping her belly quiet. It growled again and woke up Nairi and Flow. Toshi, Yumi and Mandy are heavy sleepers. Flow was wide awake. Toshi snores quietly then gets loud. Yumi was on top of him, and her wing covering his head. Mandy was asleep on a hanmok, drooling. Rika stuck out her toungue in disgust. Her stomach growled again. She held her tail.  
>"Did you eat?" Nairi asked with a yawned.<br>Rika shook her head. Her belly growled again and she held her tail and was on her knees.  
>"I'll find you something," Flow purred.<br>She found an apple in her lunchbox and gave it to Rika. Her chomping woke Toshi. Yumi's wing was on front of his face. He lifted it up gently.  
>"Hey, keep it down..." he grunted.<br>"Toshi, she was hungry," Nairi added, "She didn't eat anything before we went to sleep..."  
>"That doesn't mean she can't eat quietly.. I though Leoparda's were supposed to be stealthy?" He grumbled.<br>"Sorry..." Rika went back to eating, much silenter this time.  
>"Thank you." Toshi lowered his head on his hands and went back to sleep.<br>Flow looked roughly at Rika and blinked.  
>"You need anything else? While I'm awake I might as well do something."<br>"No, no. I'm fine. Go back to sleep please."  
>Rika started back to where she was sleeping before she woke up. Flow heard the noises of her getting comfortable and she herself settled down where she was now.<p>

Rata couldn't sleep. It didn't feel natural for her to sleep at night, and she was hungry. She got up and sighed. She had too much Nocturnal energy stored up inside of her, and she wasnt going back to sleep anytime soon. She decided to jump out the window and fly a distance away from the treehouse.  
>She had decided to hunt, as thats how she survived on her own. She hated the taste of plants and fruits and vegetables, but she managed to deal with it while staying with these mew mews. Her sharp night vision picked up movement below, and she identified it as a rabbit. Quickly she calculated that she could cook it, eat it, and bring its pelt back to her den and be back before dawn. She dived towards the rabbit, her wings beating silently and quickly towards her prey. Managing to get her hands around it, she quickly nips it at the base of the spine, leaving it lifeless. With the rabbit in her hands, she folds up her wings and looked around for supplies to start a fire.<p>

Mandy smelled smoke coming from outside. She saw Rika cuddling next to Flow and Nairi. She also heard Toshi snoring. Without waking anyone, Mandy tiptoed outside, but slipped on her own drool, spread out her wings and flew to the woods. Rika opened one eye to see what was going on, but closed it and scooded closer to Flow. Mandy saw Rata roating a rabbit. Mandy felt queezie and flew off to upchuck somewhere far away from here. Rata looked behind her, but there was nothing there. Mandy returned much quietly, folded her wings and watched cerefully. A sneeze snuck up on her and she couldn't hold it. Rata turned her head and saw the Markrow girl in a distance.  
>"Ahh, the One who tried to kill me when I first arrived. What brings you here now?" The Crobat girl said to Mandy after looking back at her roasting rabbit.<br>She took in a deep breath, enjoying herself. Mandy however, looked sick.  
>"I smelled smoke and decided to Investigate. I didn't know you had a strange.. appitiete."<br>She felt like gagging, but she knew there was nothing left in her stomach to get rid of.  
>"Strange? I though Murkrows were carniverous? Hmm.. I guess wrong."<br>She had hung up the pelt of the rabbit so it wouldn't get in the way while she was cooking and eating. "Have you ever even tried meat?"  
>"Ive tried fish before. I didn't really like it.."<br>"Fish is the exeption. It's not really meat, But this is Wild Venison. Want to try some?"  
>"Sure.." Mandy said hesitantly.<br>She supposed Rata had a point, being different animals and all. The crobat girl motioned with her hands a spot next to her, and Mandy sat. Getting closer to the rabbit, she noticed that it was cut open. Rata saw her questioned look, and she smiled.  
>"I wrapped the insides in some plants and buried them, just incase I wanted to go fishing. The bones Can be used as fertilzer, you know, to grow stuff better?"<br>She laughed at Mandy's look of disgust, and then took the rabbit off of the stick it was roasting on, and onto a rock that served as a plate. Using the claws on her bigger wings, she made a rough cut that seperated the rabbit in two, and took half in the other wings claw, leaving the meat on the plate to Mandy. She knew she didn't eat much dinner.  
>'Hope it tastes like chicken here...' Mandy thought.<br>She starts to sniff it, but draws back a little. It was well cooked and she shrugged and she took one bite. It was better than the fish she's been eating. She swallowed and felt okay.  
>"It's fine, better than the fish," she said.<br>Rata nodded and finished her meal. Mandy flew back to the hut. That piece of rabbit filled her belly and wasn't groosed out anymore. She flew back up on her handmock, folded her wings and went back to sleep.

The sun shined on Yumi's face when she woke up. She heard Toshi, still snoring. She shook him and that woke him up.  
>"Hu? What?"<br>Yumi streached her arms and wings. she sniffed Mandy's breath, so did Flow and Nairi.  
>"Why does her breath smell like roat rabbit?" Flow asked, "Has she been eating hasenpfeffer?"<br>"I don't remember eating that," Toshi added, "Rata must of fed her some."  
>"She cooked a rabbit and fed some to her?" Nairi asked.<br>Mandy woke up.  
>"I happened to had a feast with Rata," she said, "You could say it was hasenpfeffer."<br>"What's hasenpfeffer?" Yumi asked.  
>"Cooked rabbit," Nairi answered, "Mandy, you sure Rata cooked it right?"<br>"Yes she did," Mandy replied, "Believe me it was good."  
>"You're sick of fish now?" Yumi asked, "I'm not!"<br>Rika was hungry again and curled up to her sister.  
>"Oh, boy..." Flow wailed.<br>"Rata must be asleep by now," Toshi added, "Enough talk about hasenpfeffer. We need to get some breskfast so we should stop thinking about food."  
>Rika was napping on Flow.<br>"I would be glad if my sister wouldn't be laying on me," the Meouth girl wailed.  
>"Come on, Flow," Yumi said, "You should let your sister sleep. Maybe she'll wake up."<br>Rika woke up.  
>"Huh?" the Leopardas girl wailed.<br>"Okay, we should stop wasting time," Toshi sneered, "Come on!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Rika followed her sister to the base where the kids' parents were.  
>"Had a nice campout?" Mya asked.<br>"It would be nice if Rika wouldn't woke us up," Flow mewed.  
>Mandy hadn't eaten anything since last night.<br>"Get Rika to her room, Flow," Gar purred, "I'll save some breakfast for her."  
>Rika went to her room in the base and slept for a good while. The other mew mews have eaten and went to their rooms. Mandy looked for Rata, still asleep in the treehouse. She still had that rabbit taste in her mouth, even as she ate some bacon. Her thoughts about last night was kind of interesting.<br>'She isn't so bad after all,' Mandy thought.  
>Rika saw Mandy looking out the window.<br>"What does roast rabbit taste like?" she mewed.  
>"Why do you want to know that?" Mandy asked.<br>"I was curious," Rika added.  
>"I'll tell you later," Mandy replied, "Did you eat?"<br>"Yeah, Flow fed me when she got done."  
>Nairi looked out the window, watching the clouds. In a distance, she saw Rata fooling around in the treehouse. She thought she might have a look. Toshi was just going for a walk with Yumi.<p>Rika was following Nairi to see what Rata was up to. Nairi climbed up the ladder and knocked on the trapdoor rarely used by the current resident, and was soon answered. Rata opened the trap door and had a semi-sleepy smile on her face. "Wasnt expecting visiters." She spoke to both of them, then moved out of the way for Nairi and Rika to climb up. "We saw you doing something from below, so we were curious of what you were doing." Rika asked, while Rata walked back to a desk in the room.<br>On it were ten rabbit rib bones, all layed out in two lines, both decending from biggest to smallest. Rika shivered at the site of them.  
>"Despite the morbisity of the situation, I had an idea. Unlike other Mewmews, I don't really have any natural weapons besides my teeth..." She shuddered before continuing, "So I decided to make a sort of claw thing, using both the Rabbit pelt and its rib bones. You must have seen me thinking of ways to use them, once its finished." Rata faked a few slashes, similar to the movements seen from below by Nairi.<br>"Well, seems gross, but useful I guess. But.. the pelt looks like it be too weak to be used as anything." Nairi asked the Crobat girl.  
>"I'm going to be trying out some tricks I learned from reading a book. I'll scrape all the fur off with a rock or something, then leave it streched out in the sun. It should get leatherish, so I can turn it into strips and do something from there." Rata yawned.<br>She settled back in her corner and smiled at them.  
>"I'm sort of tired.. I might talk to you again if I wake up." She closed her eyes and her breathing slowed. It was obvious to the two cousins that she was sleeping. Rika's tail lashed.<br>"Imagine having a weapon..." Nairi added while walking back to the hut.  
>"My claws are good enough of a weapon," Rika mewed.<br>She didn't want to touch rabbit bones. She continued walking with Nairi. The sun was hot. Rika kept on walking.

Toshi was all tired out from walking too much. Yumi helped him on his feet.  
>"All that walking did pay off huh?" she asked.<br>"You have wings, right?" Toshi added, "Aren't they tired?"  
>"Yes, now I better use my feet," Yumi answered.<br>"I wish I have wings like you," Toshi said sweetly.  
>"You're an eletric type," Yumi replied, walking beside him, "you should be happy about it. I wish I could do eletric attacks like you, but I should be happy I'm a flying type."<br>"You're right," Toshi sighed.  
>Yumi gave him a peck on the cheek. Toshi blushed as he looked sweetly at his girlfriend. He looked up at the treehouse and figured out Rata must be asleep.<br>"Maybe we should return at night when she's awake," Yumi added.  
>Toshi nodded. Yumi hugged him. They were decent and calm. Before a leaf fell, they kissed. They have been together for 2 months. Toshi knows Yumi cares about him. They let go and kept on walking, holding hands.<p>

Rika waited for a good moment to sneak away to see Huey. She kept quiet as she snuck through the bushes. He was waiting for her.  
>"I would like to see what you look like with your mask off..." The Sperrow boy spoke.<br>"Another night," Rika purred.  
>She hoped Toshi and Yumi don't see her.<br>"Hey, are those friends of yours?" Huey whispered.  
>"No, the minun is my cousin," Rika whispered back.<br>Huey flew away when Toshi and Yumi turned around. Rika smiled, looking guilty.  
>Yumi and Toshi approached her.<br>"I thought I heard some commotion." Toshi said to his cousin, noticing the Guilty look in her eyes.  
>"It.. um.. must have been the wind." She said quickly.<br>"Sounding like some wings flapping." Yumi added without emotion. She had a feeling that Rika was lying to them, but she didn't want Rika to get angry at them. Nothing good could come of that.  
>"Maybe.. it was a bird?"<br>"Ok then..." Toshi looked as if he would further question his cousin, but Yumi looked him in the eye and silenced him. They started to walk away, and once they were outside of earshot, Huey flew down.  
>"That was a close one..."<br>Rika purred and gave him a peck on the cheek. Huey blushed. Rika waved good bye and bounded to Toshi and Yumi.

Flow was waiting til nightfall. Rika was fast asleep, curlung up to Nairi in their camping hut. Toshi was still curious about Rika's actions. Mandy was asleep. Toshi couldn't keep his eyes open and fell asleep in the spot where he was last time. Flow didn't want to wake Rika. Nairi opened her eyes, looking outside where she watched Rata practicing some moves. She shook Flow. Flow slowly opened her lime green blind eyes.  
>"Rata's awake," she whispered, "Are you with me?"<br>Flow sighed.  
>"I can't. I don't want to wake up Rika..."<br>"Okay... I'll go by myself then."  
>Toshi woke up and saw his sister heading out the door. He followed her quietly to where Rata was staying. Nairi looked behind her.<br>"Toshi, why are you following me?" Nairi asked.  
>"I was wondering what you were doing," her brother answered, "I want to see what Rata is up to."<br>"You won't believe this, but she has rabbit bones in there..."  
>"Yuck! What would she do with those?"<br>"She said that she was going to try to make a weapon out of them."  
>"Why? Isn't she fine on her own?"<br>"Well.. depends on how you look at it. As she said, she doesn't really have any natural built weapons, like Rika and Flow's claws. Or Your's and my electric attacks. She only has her wings."  
>"True.. but still!"<br>"I dont really like it either. But maybe its because weve lived differently than her. Weve never needed a reason to make our own weapons."  
>Toshi was silent for a few moments, considering what his sister had said. He eventually sighed.<br>"Yeah.. your right. I wonder what Yumi's point of view would be."  
>Nairi was confused for a moment, but then understood. "Oh because shes a flying type like Rata right?"<br>"Right." He looked back up at the window, and noticed that Rata was gone. "Hey! Where'd she go?"  
>"I'm right here."<br>Someone poked Toshi's shoulder, making him turn around instinctivly. Rata had her wings folded up neatly, and her bright yellow eyes seemed to reflect what little light there was outside. "Don't do that!" Toshi growled.  
>"Do what? Breath?" Brushing the sarcastic remark aside, she got to seriousness. "I heard you two below the window. I assumed you were talking about me, so I made your lives a little easiar."<br>"It's not what you think!" Toshi wailed.  
>"I'm assure you were talking about me..."<br>Nairi covered her brother's mouth when whe was about to saw something rude.  
>"What he saying is we have our ways of weapens," she added.<br>Rata nodded.  
>"That's true," she replied, "I might say that the weapon I made needs some more ajustments. See ya!"<br>Rata flew back up to her treehouse and started to work on it some more. Toshi removed his sister's hand off his mouth.  
>"Nairi, was that nessisary?" he sneered, "I was about to get through her."<br>"I saved your life from the look in her eye from one of her attacks," Nairi added, "Looking at the fact she was about to use Mean Look and get you shivering unable to move. So I stopped her from using it."  
>"She wasn't going to use Mean Look, sis!" Toshi argued, "She's a friend! She would never to that to me!"<br>"I'm afraid your brother's right, Nairi."  
>The plusle girl looked around and found Rata standing next to her.<br>"I wasn't going to use Mean Look," Rata replied, "He does have a point."  
>Nairi sighed, looking relieved. She knows Rata is a good friend to have at night. Toshi thought he was about to think what Yumi said to him a while back.<p>

Rika was sleeping sweetly near Flow. She opened one eye and saw that Nairi and Toshi are gone. She knew they went to see Rata. The leopardas girl curled closer to the Meouth. She felt something poking her shoulder. It was Yumi. Rika opened both her eyes.  
>"Have you seen Toshi anywhere?" The Pidgey girl asked.<br>Rika shook her head.  
>"Flow, wake up," she mewed.<br>Flow opened her sightless lime green eyes.  
>"What?"<br>"Don't you know? Nairi and Toshi are gone!" Yumi added, "I'm going after them!"  
>"I'm coming too," Rika replied, "They're MY cusens!"<br>"They are my cusens too!" Flow mewed, "So I'm coming as well."  
>"What about you, Mandy?" Yumi asked.<br>"No, I'll keep guard here," Mandy answered, "in cace some thieves come in."  
>Rika ran up to Rata's place.<br>"Rika, what are you doing here?" the Crobat asked.  
>"You don't have to worry about her," Nairi called, "She's just cerious."<br>"You idiot!" Flow hissed, "You had me worried sick!"  
>"Sorry..." Nairi wailed, "and don't yell in my face."<br>"I'm sorry..."  
>Yumi saw Toshi standing there.<br>"There you are," she added.  
>"Yumi, I can explain..." Toshi wailed.<br>Rika tugged on her sister's shirt.  
>"Don't yell at her, Flow," she mewed, "It wasn't their fault. They were being neughberly to Rata."<br>"Your little sister's right, Flow," Rata replied.  
>"Oh..."<br>Flow looked ashamed as her tail swung low.  
>"Don't feel bad," Nairi said sweetly to her cusen, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you where we're going."<br>"It's okay," Flow replied, raising her tail high again, "You could of told me this earlier before you- wait, you did tell me right?"  
>"Yes, haven't you forgot that?"<br>Flow giggled to herself.  
>"Wait a minute, where's Rika?" Toshi added.<p>

Rika snuck away to see Huey again, and Nairi was sneaking quietly behind her. She stept on a twig and snapped. Rika spun around and pounced on Nairi.  
>"I should of known!" Rika hissed.<br>"Rika, it's not what you think!" Nairi cried.  
>"I do!" Rika spat, "I knew you would be meddeling!"<br>Her claws were dragged on one of Nairi's shoulders.  
>"Rika, don't do this!" Nairi wailed, "You're hurting me! Are you insane?"<br>Rika stopped and got off of her cusen. She was horrified bu the blood on her claws.  
>"I am so sorry..." she wailed.<br>"It's okay," Nairi answered, "You didn't make a deep wound there. It was just a scratch,"  
>Rika was horrifide of what she did and ran away crying.<br>"Rika!" Nairi called out.  
>"Nairi?" Toshi called.<br>"Go after Rika..." Nairi sobbed, "She ran away..."  
>"What?" Flow asked, "Why?"<br>"She was..."  
>"Why's your shoulder bleeding?" Flow asked, feeling Rika's handywork, "Did she scratch you?"<br>"Yes..."  
>"Where did she run off to?" Yumi assked.<br>"I know she ran west," Nairi wailed.  
>Flow held her cusen in her arms, trying to tend her scratch. Yumi gave Flow some fresh watermint, soon the bleeding stopped.<br>"Rika didn't go far," Toshi added, "I bet she's hiding in the training fields."

Toshi found the crying Leopardas girl in the bushes.  
>"Nairi forgives you..." he called softly.<br>"I- now she hates me..." Rika sobbed.  
>"No she doesn't," Toshi added, "She will always love you as a cusen. Now she's worried, even Flow!"<br>"What would Mommy think of me..."  
>"She knows you didn't hurt Nairi unpurpes, but you can't run from your problems."<br>Rika crawled up to her cusen and cried into his shirt, hugging tightly. Toshi nodded scilently to himself and held his little cusen.  
>"Look, even I have bad days sometimes," he said softly, "I don't run from my problems, I learn from them. I think you can do the same thing..."<br>Rika pulled herself out of the hug and looked up at Toshi with tears in her eyes. Toshi wanted to test her on what he was telling her. He got Rika up to her feet and stept lightly on her tail.  
>"That hurt..." Rika sniffed.<br>"Running away from it does make you feel worse," Toshi replied, "You going to run away from your problem with Nairi or learn from it?"  
>Toshi tried to step on her tail again, but she moved it.<br>"See, you learn," Toshi added, "So what's your disision?"  
>"I'm going back to Nairi."<p>

Nairi saw Rika comong back.  
>"Nairi, I'm sorry I scratched you..." Rika mewed in a small voice.<br>"It's okay," Nairi answered.  
>"So you don't hate me?"<br>"No, of course not. You will always be my cusen."  
>Rika leaped in Nairi's arms and started crying again, with joy.<br>"Toshi, how did you get Rika to come to her senses?" Nairi asked.  
>"I have my ways, sis," her brother answered.<br>Nairi decided not to question him further. Its been a long night, and theres still much to go. She yawned, and headed back to sleep. Everyone soon followed her, and it wasnt long before they were all asleep.

Flow was the first awake, with the sharpest sense of smell of the bunch. She was greeted with the lovely aroma of cooked fish. She got up, trying not to disturb those who slept around her, and went towards the smell. "Oh, Good morning. Wasn't expecting you to wake up this early." She heard the voice she recognized as Rata. She heard some plates click against eachother, and then some foot steps towards her. The smell grew stronger, and she felt her hands being guided towards the plate. Flow took the plate, slightly confused before the Crobat explained.  
>"I decided to be nice. I realized that I haven't really done anything for you guys since you let me live here, so I decided to make you guys breakfast. As much as I wanted to give you guys something like rabbit, as that is what I would've wanted, I went to get you fish instead. I figured you'd be more used to the taste. "I'm not The best of cooks, but.. I hope you like the fish." She finished.<br>Flow was surprised. The Crobat was extremly talkative, but from what she understood, She want out of her way to get something for all of them to eat. And then cooked it. She smiled.  
>"Thank you. I'll go wake up the others." <p>


	7. Chapter 7

Mandy had to go somewhere for the day so she wasn't here when Flow came in. Nairi was tired and her scratch heeled. Rika smelled the fish and woke up. Nairi was still asleep, but the smell of fish woke her up as well.  
>"What's that aroma?" she grunted.<br>"Smells like fish..." Rika mumbled.  
>Toshi didn't wake up yet, but Yumi did.<br>"Fish for breckfast?" Toshi moaned.  
>"I can eat that any day!" Yumi added.<br>"Where did Mandy go?" Rika asked.  
>Nairi looked around but there was a note in the hammok. Rika climbed on top of Nairi to reach it. When she got it, Nairi wobbled, hopping on one foot.<br>"Toshi, look out!" Yumi cried.  
>Toshi didn't respond in time as the Plusle girl and the Leopardas girl collasped on top of him.<br>"What's the big idea?" he huffed, "Get off of me!"  
>"Sorry," his sister wailed.<br>Flow carried the cooked fish over to the others.  
>"Is it well cooked?" Nairi asked.<br>"Let me divide it," Yumi offered.  
>Rika had the note in her hand.<br>"What does it say?" Toshi asked.  
>"Well, 'I'm out for the day because I'm off for a flight. I heard that Mya needed my help with something. Hate to leave without telling any of you.' She must be shopping."<br>"Let me see that," Nairi added, "'Also, Rata made breakfast so there's no need to rush to the mess hall.' How in the..."  
>Rika was eating the fish when Nairi was trying to read the rest of the note.<br>"So Mom won't be back til tonight?" Toshi asked.  
>"I'm afraid so..." Nairi answered.<br>"What will we do?" Yumi wailed, "We'll starve!"  
>"Hang on," Toshi added, "'They also wanted you to test your survival skills. I'll be back soon.' Guess we don't have a choice..."<br>"How are we going to survive on our own?" Yumi asked, scared.  
>Toshi held her close.<br>"We might have to do some hunting and stuff," he answered.  
>Rika was still eating the fish. Nairi got starting eating her cooked fish. Flow wanted to know how to hunt something. Rika got done eating. She tossed the bones out the window and into a nearby trash can. Flow started eating her fish. Yumi started eating too. Toshi wasn't very hungry, there weren't any fish left for him. Nairi offered hers, it was half eaten. He nodded and finished it. He coved his mouth when he burped.<br>"Pardon me..." he added, tossing the bones out the window in the trash can.

Nairi and Flow were hunting for a rabbit when lunch came. Nairi had a carrot in her hand and placed it near a hole. She watched carefully and kept still, telling Flow to wait for her signal. The rabbit popped out and started to eat the carrot. Flow waited for a right moment to strike. She pounced at the rabbit, but it ran away. Feeling it's vibrations, Flow used her nails to swat at it to bring it down. Nairi used thunderbolt to roast it. Rata was asleep and couldn't help them right now. Flow took some insides out and threw them away near Rata's bushes so she has bait. She washed her hands in a near by stream after she took the pelt off.  
>"Rata can use a pelt like this," Flow purred, "mind if you start the fire?"<br>Nairi nodded and tried to do a fire by used thundershock on one stick while Flow placed rocks around the wood she collected. Nairi tossed the stick on the wood and the fire lit. Shs smiled at her handiwork. 'Maybe surviving on my own isnt so hard.' She thought to herself right before some grass under the rocks had caught on fire.  
>The flame caught, and managed to get under the rock to spread. Soon the fire spread to other parts of the clearing, and Nairi had screamed.<br>The tried to put out the fire, Yumi flying about trying to push it away with the wind of her wings. The had gotten some parts out, but other parts spread. It was biggening to look hopeless.  
>All before Two pairs of wings started flapping. Although Yumi's wings were feathered and had more lift, they were designed for height and Gliding. Rata's were much narrower, and designed for speed. She was able to put out the fire in a matter of seconds, creating a vacum of air, killing the fire. When she was sure that everything was out, she landed and looked at the group rather annoyed.<br>"Is everyone allright?" She asked.  
>The worst of damage was a few singed feathers on Yumi's wings, and some blistering on Toshi's hands. Now that she knew everyone was allright, she looked furious.<br>"I leave you alone for a few hours and you nearly burn down the forest!"  
>Unable to help herself, she used Mean Look, affecting everyone but Flow, who was unable to see but felt the intensity of the moment. "The heck were you thinking?"<br>"Well.. We were trying to test our survival skills.." Flow answered, the only one who could. Rata tried to compose herself as best she could. The Mean Look was taken off of them, and Rata was still bristling with anger.  
>"So.. you caught a rabbit.. and tried to cook it?"<br>They nodded.  
>"And then the fire caught on something and set the clearing on fire?"<br>They nodded again. She sighed.  
>"I guess this means I'm gonna have to stay awake with you guys so you wont set anything else on fire."<br>"It was her fault!" Flow hissed, pointing at Nairi.  
>"My fault?" Nairi scolded, "It was your idea!"<br>"Time out!" Toshi yelled, "Let's get to Auntie Tammy..."  
>"At least I didn't loose any of my flight feathers..." Yumi moaned.<br>"Where's Rika?" Nairi asked, "I thought you were watching her, Toshi!"  
>"I heard you scream," Toshi added.<br>"If we taken her with us, she could be hurt," Yumi replied.  
>"She must be asleep," Flow mewed.<br>"We're very sorry..." Nairi wailed to Rata.  
>The Crobat girl gave her a nod.<p>

"Toshi, you were suppose to be watching her!" Flow hissed.  
>"Hey, don't yell at me!" Toshi wailed.<br>"Well who else should I yell at? It was your fault!"  
>The two looked as if They were about to go at eachothers throats. They probably would have if it werent for Yumi. She stepped in between the two with a fierce glint in her eye. "Yelling wont get us anything but Raw vocal chords and hatred between each other. Let's just calm down. Take a deep breath."<br>The two hesitantly agreed. They took deep breaths and relaxed.  
>"There? Everyone feeling better?" Yumi asked.<br>They nodded.  
>"Good, now lets try to find Nairi. I suppose we can worry about Rika later, right now I just want to make sure that no one else kills each other."<p>

As they set off to look for Nairi, Rika was heading towards a certain Sperrow winged male. Huey was looking at a certain Plusle girl, passed out.  
>"Nairi!" Rika cried.<br>"You know her?" Huey asked.  
>"I sure do," Rika answered, "She's Toshi's sister and also my cusen. Hope she didn't loose another mew mew life!"<br>She looked on the mark on Nairi's hair loop.  
>"What a relieve," Rika mewed, "There's still eight marks."<br>"I found her lying there just ten minutes ago," Huey added.  
>"Don't you get it?" Rika added, "If she wakes up and finds out we were meeting like this, Flow will tear me to shreds!"<br>"I might go, see ya..."  
>Huey flew off, leaving Rika with Nairi. Nairi opened her eyes slowly.<br>"Rika?" she mumbled, "What happened?"  
>"Please don't tell anyone about this," Rika mewed, "but Huey carried you all the way here when you were passed out."<br>"You mean, the boy you've been seeing?" Nairi asked.  
>"Yes. I better get you to your brother. He's worried about you!"<br>"Toshi? Oh, we better get going."  
>"Nairi, there you are," Toshi called, racing up to his sister, "You had me very worried."<br>"Toshi..." Flow growled.  
>"It's not his fault!" Rika mewed to her sister.<br>"Really now? Then who's was it?"  
>"It was... mine. I snuck away..."<br>It was silent for a while. No one was quite sure what to say, as no one expected her to say that out loud like that. Rika spoke up again.  
>"I'm going to keep seeing Huey, no matter what you say."<br>"I know." Flow said slowly.  
>She sighed, and looked in the general direction of Rika. "I suppose your old enough to defend yourself if anything were to happen.. But either way.. please be careful." She chuckled. "If he tries anything make sure you give him a good scratch to the face, ya got that?"<br>Rika chuckled at her. "Got it."  
>"Man, I thought I was toast," Toshi added, "What about Nairi?"<br>Toshi picked his stster up.  
>"It was just a small burn," Yumi said sweetly, "I'm sure Tammy can heal that."<br>Nairi knew what happened.  
>"I fainted when the fire was wild. It burned my arm, but it was a small one..."<br>"Good thing you didn't loose another life," her brother said calmly.  
>"I never douted you, Toshi," Flow purred, "You have my word."<br>Her meouth tail went around Toshi's waist. The minun boy was creaped out.  
>"You're creaping me out, Flow..." he wailed.<br>"Why would I creap you out? I can feel you trembling. Just relax. Trust me..."  
>Flow's purring calmed Toshi's nerves.<br>"Okay, this is getting strange..." Yumi wailed, "Let's get Nairi to Tammy now."  
>"Uh, I'll settel this later," Flow mewed, "Your girlfriend's right..."<br>'Shut up,' Toshi thought in annoyance.

Nairi was carried to the medicine house.  
>"Who's this?" Rata asked.<br>"That's Tammy," Yumi answered, "She's our healer of this house. We call it the 'medicine house.' It's a place for sick and injured mew mews."  
>Rata nodded.<br>"What have he- oh Nairi..."  
>"It's just a small burn," Nairi added.<br>"How did this happen?" Tammy asked.  
>"Your niece almost set the forest on fire," Rata added, crossing her arms.<br>"I see," Tammy replied, "So you're that Crobat I've been hearing about."  
>Nairi was placed on a stoul and Tammy took a look on her burn.<br>"This watermint will get that burn gone," the Flareon said kindly, "and this healing patch will make it stay into place."  
>Nairi was clad she didn't loose her second mew mew life. She still has eight. <p>


	8. Chapter 8

Nairi rested for a good while and was outside again. The sun was going down and her burn got much better.  
>"I get the feeling, Mandy will be back soon..." Flow mewed.<br>They hurried back to their cabin and Rata flew up to her treehouse and fell asleep for two good hours. Rika followed her sister, so did the others. Am was the first to open the door.  
>"How did it go?" she asked.<br>Nairi gulped but Toshi whistered in her ear.  
>"Very good," Nairi answered.<br>Am looked stern in her eyes.  
>"Okay, Mom! We admit it! We failed..." Toshi wailed, "Nairi almost set the woods on fire and Rata helped us..."<br>"Doesn't matter, dear," Am said kindly to her son, "I know Rata is a child like you are. You still passed your survival test."  
>"Thanks, Mom..." Tosht sniffed.<br>"No need to get emotional now..."  
>"Oh, Mommy..." Nairi replied sweetly.<br>Am hugged her two children.  
>"This is the best day ever..." Toshi wailed.<br>"We did good too, right? Flow mewed.  
>"Of course you did, Flow," Am answered her niece, "even you made on mistake, you still did good, even Rata helped a little."<br>Rika purred and cued her mother when she came in the doorway.  
>"Mommy!" Flow cried, hearing Mya's breathing.<br>"Oh..." Mya purred.

After a welcome back, Mandy came through the window and on the hamock.  
>"I heard you five did very well," the markrow called.<br>"With one fault, but it turned out okay," Toshi replied.  
>"What were you doing," Yumi asked, "with the grown-ups?"<br>"It's a surprize," Mandy answered, "I'm not telling any of you!"  
>"Tell us!" Rika hissed.<br>"Hey, if I tell you, you'll ruin it."  
>"Oh, okay..."<br>"You can wait til morning."  
>"I guess we can.." They grumbled annoyed. But, they supposed, all good things to those who wait. Besides, Even though its still light out, theyve all had a long day. Probably best to take a nap before dinner. Nairi was the first to yawn, and they all soon followed her to bed. It wasnt long before they were all curled up sleeping.<p>

Rata woke up sleepily to a knock on the door. She got up and somehow managed to open it to find the Adult from earliar.  
>"Um.. Hi.. Am right? I... wasn't expecting a visitor.." She asked sleepingly.<br>"Yes, I am Am. May I come up?" She asked nicely. Rata moved out of the way to allow her up. Am was soon sitting in a chair in Rata's current room. "Need something?"  
>"Yeah.. I kind of want to ask you if you would mind teaching them about survival in the wild."<br>"Oh. Sure.. what's the plan?"  
>"I think you should take them out for a week and teach them to live off of the land, but not right now. I have something planned for them."<br>"Allright.. Just.. tell me when you want me to take them out."  
>"I will be sure to." With that, Am started to climb down the ladder and off to somewhere else. Rika watched her aunt leaving the treehouse.<br>'What was Auntie Am doing?' she thought.  
>Her scences tell her something was up. She felt her tail on something hard. She looked and saw a pile of wood. Looked well chopped up. Rika dashed out of sight when Rata came to get something. The little Leopardas shivered and the Crobat looked, but Rika vanished.<p>

Rika hurried as fast as she could and bumbed into Toshi.  
>"Can't you watch where you're doing?" the Minun huffed.<br>"Sorry," Rika mewed.  
>She couldn't get her mind off of her aunt. She looked a little conserned.<br>"What is it?" he asked.  
>Rika wanted her cusin to follow her. Toshi looked around and saw the wood.<br>"Your mother was here, talking to Rata..." Rika mewed, "Taking us to live off the land..."  
>"Are you crazy?" Toshi added, "My mom's afraid of hights!"<br>"I think your cusin is right, but you take things too litterely," Yumi said calmly.  
>"You mean, a survilal test?" Toshi asked, "We just took one..."<br>Rika had a very bad feeling about this. So she snuck off to see Huey. She saw him sitting on a rock.  
>"Rika, I've been waiting all afternoon to see you..."<br>Rika purred.  
>'A week of surviving...' she thought, 'I-'<br>She stopped purring and start to shiver.  
>"You got a chill?" Huey asked.<br>"No, I was conserned about going on a survival trip," Rika mewed.  
>Huey opened his wing and touched his nose on Rika's. Her heart raiced on. Her sister's words echoed through her ears and turned away.<br>'Okay, Flow! I won't kiss him!' she thought angerly.  
>"Why are you so jumpy?" Huey asked.<br>"It's something stupid," Rika answered, "You won't understand..."  
>Huey knows what might be troubling her and nodded to himself. He placed one hand on her shoulder and looked in her cyan eyes.<br>"You don't have to worry," he said kindly, "I can look after myself as well as you do. I know this kissing gig is for us when we get older."  
>He looked up at the sky when the sun was setting in the west. Rika knows if she could only take her mask off and kiss Huey for real, but she knows she's too young. A song filled her ears when she was a tiny baby. The sound of whisling cocktails filled the corner where they are.<br>"I think one day I will take my mask off and show you a real kiss," Rika purred, "You make sure you keep that in mind."  
>She said good bye and hightailed to her cusins and sister.<p>

Flow felt her sister's vibrations coming closer to her.  
>"Toshi, I wonder if you would mind telling me what this is about?" Nairi asked.<br>"I don't know," her brother answered, "I think Rika has-"  
>"Rika didn't hear a thing," Yumi called out.<br>Rika knew Yumi was right. She went off crying. Flow ran after her. Flow didn't feel any vibrations at that time she came to the training fields. She listened to crying. Flow found her curled up in a small sad ball.  
>"I'm not ready for this..." she sobbed.<br>Flow feels her sister's sorrow flowing in her. She came closer and petted her head.  
>"I'm not ether," Flow purred, "but I was worried about something... I couldn't put my finger on it, but you don't have to cry about it."<br>Flow tried all she could to comfort her little sister. Her purring smoothed Rika's ears and the tears dried up on her cheeks. She looked and hugged Flow and started to purr of joy.  
>"Take it easy now, little sis," Flow mewed, "You can always stay with Mommy, if she comes with us."<br>Rika liked the idea to stay by her mother, Mya.

Mandy was resting here that night. Luna came to her.  
>"Mandy, you are not an orphen, I know who your parents are."<br>"Huh? I thought they were dead..." Mandy wailed.  
>"I know your mother. Erica is your mother."<br>"Wait, Erica's my mother? That makes Am and Mya my aunts and also it makes Nairi, Toshi, Flow and Rika my cusins! Tell me, Luna, who's my father?"  
>"It's hard to tell, but I'm afraid it's Edward, a dark mew."<br>"Oh no... I'm half dark mew..."  
>"Don't be disapointed, Mandy..."<br>Mandy woke up startled and confused. Toshi looked over to her.  
>"Mandy, what's going on?" he asked, "What has you jumpy?"<br>"Listen to me, Cuz.." the murkrow wailed.  
>"Cuz? I didn't know you're my cusin, Mandy."<br>"Nether did I until now."  
>Mandy explained everything to everyone she cares about.<br>"Auntie Erica's your mother?" Nairi shreeked, "I had no idea!"  
>"It was hard to believe I always thought you were a rouge, like Auntie Ivy was," Flow purred.<br>"I knew you had family," Rika mewed.  
>"I knew you have some traits in you," Yumi replied, "You and Erica have the same skin tone."<br>Erica came in and saw the murkrow on the handmock.  
>"Mom!" Mandy called.<br>Erica knew that had to be her long lost daughter.  
>"Sorry I had to send you away, Mandy. Edward promised me Kana would be a good mother to you."<br>"She was," Mandy answered.  
>"I owe her so much, and Edward too. I know he's dead and Kana looked after you. If I made a different choice, I could give you a chance to know your cusens and aunts well. Forgive me, my sweet Mandy..."<br>Mandy knew Kana raised her well and smiled sweetly to her birth mother.  
>"I forgive you, Mom," she replied.<br>It's been 13 years since Mandy cuddled close to her mother. She folded her wings and hugged her. Erica didn't want her to know about her father.  
>"Hey, I never knew Mandy was our cusen," Nairi added.<br>"Nether did I," Toshi replied. 


	9. Chapter 9

Rika heard voices and went outside that night. She saw Huey outside too.  
>"Huey, you got a moment?" she asked.<br>"Yeah, what?" he replied, "Are you going to take off your mask?"  
>"Not tonight," Rika answered, "I wanted to say that I will be away for a survival test."<br>"What?"  
>Huey was a tad shocked.<br>"It won't be the same without you, Rika!" he wailed, "I need you!"  
>He hugged Rika close to him and kissed her ear. Rika blushed a little behind her mask.<br>"Haha glad to know I mean so much... But you can survive right?" She smiled at him, and leant into his kiss. "And maybe I'll run into you during the week! Who knows?" Huey laughed a little at that. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, I should probably get back.. See you later?" He gave her a little smile.  
>"Yeah. See you later." Rika gave him a kiss on the nose goodbye, and then went back inside.<br>"Are we all set?' Flow asked.  
>"I think so..." Rika purred.<br>"Oh, so you said your goodbyes to you're little boyfriend?" Mandy asked.  
>"He's not my boyfriend!" Rika hissed.<br>"Whatever," Mandy grinned.  
>"Come on," Toshi added, "I think Mom and Rata are waiting."<p>Rata stood next to the adult named Am. She sent a couple of glances at her here and there partially out of paranoia. She would be with quite a few electric types throughout the week, and that could be potentially dangerous for her. She had to remain calm though, and not give anything away...<br>"Are you okay Rata?" Am's voice made her jump.  
>"Um.. Yeah. Totally. Sorry, I just don't know these guys completely. Just a little nervous haha..." Her rambling was cut off when she spotted the kids coming over, and started to force herself to look calm.<br>"Don't worry. They're good kids." Am smiled at her, and Rata smiled a little back.  
>"Thanks..."<br>Once the kids had gathered around, Rata decided that the news would be easier to take if Am had said it, so she stepped aside and allowed her to make the announcement.  
>"Maybe she wasn't use to company that well," Mandy whispered.<br>"Oh knock off the cocky voice," Yumi mumbled, "You sound like your mother when she's like that."  
>Rika glanced behind her and Flow was following close behind her.<br>"What is it?" her older sister asked.  
>"It's Huey, isn't it?" Nairi added, "You'll see him again."<br>"I don't know..." Rika wined, "it's just that I kind of miss him somehow..."  
>"The sooner we get the survival thing over with, the better," Flow purred.<br>Am cleared her throat, and everyone got quiet for a moment.  
>"You're all aware of that short little survival test we gave to you a little while ago, and even though you all passed, we decided that it would be best if you all went on a full week in the wild."<br>There were no murmurs of surprise as Rata was expecting, but instead a silence waiting for Am to go on.  
>"It could teach you all a little bit of independence, and also prepare you for in case you get stuck out in the wild."<br>"Of course you won't be alone. I'll be there with you guys, since I know my stuff." The crowbat girl smiled at everyone, then awaited their reactions.  
>"You're nervous, huh?" Mandy asked Rika.<br>The Liepard girl was chewing her normal nails, that when in battle, they turn into claws. Flow purred to calm her down. Nairi brushed up her hair to prevent any static from popping up on her.  
>"I survived when my wing was busted," Yumi wailed, "I don't know..."<br>Toshi hugged her.  
>"At least you have experience," he whispered.<br>That was a surprisingly anticlimactic reaction. Rata wondered briefly if they were aware of this announcement before it actually happened.  
>"Anyway, I'll be teaching you guys the basics like how to hunt properly or how to make a fire without burning the forest down, and then I might leave you guys alone to survive on your own while watching from a distance."<br>"Once the week is up, I'm sure we'll all find a way to reward you." Am smiled.  
>"Mm-hmm. Alright so once you guys are ready we can head out."<br>"You can always stay with me, Rika," Flow purred to her little sister.  
>Rika gulped.<br>"This should be easy..." Mandy added, "Flying types in one group, electric types on another and cat types in the last group. Where are you sending them?"  
>"I don't want to be apart from Toshi that long!" Yumi yelled.<br>"Calm down, Yumi," Nairi replied, "I'm sure Sparky will join us."  
>"Sparky?" Rata asked.<br>"He's my boyfriend, once a loner mew mew," Nairi answered, "I'm sure I could learn something from him after he lived on his own."  
>"Ooh, Nairi has a boyfriend?" Rata chuckled. "Alright, I guess I can allow him."<br>Before continuing, she took a moment to compose herself. Everyone was talking at once and it was getting a little hard to keep track of it. It was hard being social.

"Alright, so I've decided that we will be going off to an area that I was planning on flying to before I ran into you guys. Everyone will be divided according to type, but we will be close enough to each other that it shouldn't be too much of a problem."  
>Rika was calm and she was sticking very close to Flow to protect her. Yumi wasn't sure about the group choices. A full grown Sylveon mew mew came up to the others.<br>"Hello, young ones," she said.  
>"Sylvia?" Toshi asked, "What are you doing here?"<br>"I happen to come by listening to what the Crobat girl was saying," Sylvia answered, "I think you need skills to survive. I am on my way to see my sister Ada. Too-da-loo."  
>Rata had just been watching this whole exchange go down with a slightly confused look on her face. For the moment she stayed quiet, but spoke up before the Sylveon left.<br>"Wait. Um. Who are you? How do you know these guys?" She honestly wasn't quite sure of what to make of this.  
>"Who am I?" Sylvia asked, "My dear Crobat lass, I am Sylvia. I am a close friends of Toshi and Nairi's mother, Am. Who are you called?"<br>"Ah, um, right. I'm Rata. I'm just kind of a visitor for now." She then motioned towards the kids. "Also I'm in charge of these guys for the next week."  
>"Sylvia's a fairy type..." Yumi pointed out.<br>"Ah, what for?" Sylvia asked, "Must be something important."  
>Rika was still thinking about Huey and was feeling a bit lonely.<br>"The whole survival test thing. Since I'm the only one who has live on their own for extensive amounts of time, it was suggested that I be their guardian angel of sorts." She smiled at Sylvia, but then noticed Rika's change in demeanor. "Well, anyway thanks for stopping by, but we really should probably start soon. It'd be better to find somewhere to camp BEFORE it's dark right? Hahah..."  
>"I see," Sylvia smiled.<br>Rika scooted closer to Flow, and Flow hugged her younger sister.  
>"You're going to be fine, Rika," Flow purred, "I'll be with you..."<br>"I see Flow is very close to Rika," Nairi added, "Toshi, you know Mommy and Auntie Mya are close when they were younger."  
>"Yeah, I know," her brother nodded, "Rata, you had any siblings once?"<br>"Nah, never had any. Or at least I didn't last I checked."  
>"Okay then..." Nairi moaned, "Wait here, I need to get Sparky.<br>The Plusle girl disappeared in the woods to find her boyfriend.  
>"Sparky lived on his own til my sister met him," Toshi explained, "I know he could help us out..."<br>"Alright, guess he could be helpful. Once she comes back we should probably get going though." Rata glanced up at the sky for a quick second, then back at the kids.  
>"Yeah, that would probably be good." Toshi mumbled, and then it got silent as they waited for Nairi.<br>Toshi tapped his foot. By the time his sister returned with an Eletrike boy, he greated him.  
>"Sparky, it's been a while," he added.<br>"Huh?" Sparky mumbled, looking at the Crobat girl.  
>"I'm back," Nairi called.<br>"Rata, you must be Sparky." She held out her hand for him to shake it, and he took it.  
>"So... whats this about?"<br>"Nairi you want to fill him in?"  
>"Rata's taking us on a survival trip and we get to be in groups," Nairi added, "You had some experience when you lived on your own. Maybe you could lend us some."<br>"Nairi, I'm not sure if I could go along with it," Sparky said nervously.  
>"Come on, Sparky," Nairi grinned, kissing his cheek, "I invited you to come with us!"<br>Rika was beginning to think about Huey and how he was doing as she stayed close to Flow.  
>Sparky glanced away with a blush, then sighed. "Alright, I guess I can come with you."<br>Nairi smiled even wider, and Sparky found himself smiling as well.  
>"So... when are we heading out?" He asked nervously.<br>"Soon enough, assuming that we won't have any more distractions."  
>"Let's go then," Mandy added, "I don't have any time to stand all day!" <p>


	10. Chapter 10

As the group walked further away from the base, Rika held on Flow's hand and was very worried about what is ahead. Nairi and Sparky walked together side by side, Toshi and Yumi walked together too and Rata taking to the skies with Mandy, but stayed low where the others can see them. Rika kept on walking with her older sister and saw a Juggilypuff girl ahead of her.  
>"Nita!" she cried.<br>Nita turned her head and greeted her friend.  
>"Rika..." Nita cued.<br>Rika purred loudly.  
>"How have you been?" She smiled at the Jigglypuff girl, who responded with one as well.<br>"I've been okay. Why are you all heading out this way though, is something going on?" Nita tilted her head.  
>"We're on a survival test for the week."<br>Rika purred.  
>"Nice running into you, Nita," she said, "but we have to go."<br>"Okay," Nita smiled.  
>The trees looked nice as they walked down the path.<br>"Oh, Rata," Nairi smiled, "Nita is one of Kana's kids and Kana is a friend of my mother's."  
>"You guys have a lot of friends that I don't know about." Rata provided a weak little laugh, and continued to fly alongside the group.<br>They all traveled in silence for a little while, whether it be because of nervousness or excitement, but that was broken when Yumi spoke up.  
>"It's getting dark... shouldn't we try to make camp soon?"<br>"Yeah... I think this is a pretty good place." Sparky contributed.  
>"I agree," Nairi added.<br>Rika sighed and unpacked her sleeping bag.  
>"Don't be a major downer," Mandy grinned, "You'll see him here, I think..."<br>"I think Mandy's right," Flow purred, "Think about what kind of things you get to do out here."  
>"Good thing I packed marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate..." Toshi replied, "just in case we get to do smores..."<br>"Maybe another night..." Yumi wailed, "I'm not hungry..."  
>"Have you eaten anything today? It would suck if you were sick." Rata looked over Yumi, trying to reassure herself.<br>"I ate something this morning, so I don't think that's it. I'm just not hungry."  
>"Alright, well if you do feel sick just tell me."<br>"No, I just have a little bit of a cramp..." Yumi moaned.  
>"You sure you're feeling okay?" Toshi asked his girlfriend.<br>"I'm fine, it's just a cramp," Yumi reasured him.  
>"I'll find you some herbs if I can," Toshi cued.<br>Yumi sighed. Rika looked over her shoulder at the ill looking Pidgey girl.  
>"You must of eaten a bad apple or something," Mandy pointed out.<br>"If you need to throw up, do it. Your body probably knows to get rid of something before you do." Sparky said to her.  
>"Guys, I said I'm fine! You don't have to keep bothering me about it..."<br>"Alright, we'll leave you alone for now. We just don't want anything to happen. Getting sick might not be that big a deal in a house but out hear it's a whole different story." Rata stated, and Sparky nodded approval.  
>Yumi sighed and got out of her sleeping bag.<br>"I'll go take a walk for a bit," she said, "maybe that will help..."  
>"Did she look ill to you?" Mandy asked Rika.<br>Rika nodded.  
>"I better stay close behind her," Toshi added.<br>He followed Yumi close.  
>"Toshi, I... I just don't feel so good..." she moaned.<br>"You didn't want to admit it before..." Toshi pointed out.  
>"Oh... I ate something bad..." she added, "Turn around and don't look till I tell you to."<br>Toshi turned his back and Yumi was feeling very queasy and tries to look for a spot so she could up chuck. When Yumi finally found a spot, Toshi was forced to awkwardly stand and try to ignore the sounds. He glanced around, and tried to listen to birds or something instead.  
>"Alright..."<br>"You all done?"  
>"Yeah..."<br>"Do you feel better?  
>"A little bit."<br>"Come on, let's get you some herbs. There has to be some somewhere..."  
>Toshi spotted some smoothberries on his left. He picked a couple of them.<br>"Here, eat those..." he offered.  
>Yumi took one and started eating the berry.<br>"Best remedy for upset bellies, right?" he asked.  
>Yumi swallowed the berry and nodded.<br>"It might take a couple minutes for the berries to work. You should feel a lot better once we get back to camp." Toshi smiled at her, and put his arm around her. "Let's head back..."  
>"Thanks Toshi."<p>Yumi smiled and was feeling a little better. When they returned, Rika was trying to get comfortable.<br>"You're back all ready?" Nairi asked.  
>"She was feeling ill, but she didn't want to admit it," Toshi sighed.<br>Rika couldn't sleep. Flow layed down next to her and rubbed her back so she fells comfortable. Rika purred a little, but still misses Huey.  
>"Hey Rika, if you can't sleep would you mind taking a walk with me? Being nocturnal, it can be difficult for me to sleep." Rata offered up after nodding a quick greeting to the returning Toshi and Yumi.<br>"Maybe.. That could be nice."  
>Rika nodded, excepting Rata's offer and got out of her sleeping bag. Flow was sure if she can trust Rata to look after her little sister. Toshi tucked Yumi in and then she fell asleep. Rika gladly started walking.<br>Once they were out of view of the camp Rata glanced at Rika as they were walking.  
>"So whats up? You've been acting all depressed for a little while now."<br>"I'll tell you," Rika sighed, "but if you tell anyone else, I'll deny it, okay?"  
>Rata innocently put her hands up in the air, palms facing her. "Secrets safe with me."<br>"I kind of miss Huey in a way, and I wasn't prepared," Rika mewed, "I was scared to leave the bace, even if my Mommy will worry about me, and Daddy too... Oh, Rata. What will I do? Am I up for this survival test? I wasn't prepared, okay..."  
>"Shh..." It was the only thing Rata thought to do.<br>"Hey, don't worry. You're young, it's okay that you're afraid. Your parents might be a little worried, but they know that you can take care of yourself. As for your boy troubles? Don't let them get you down. Your a strong independent young women, you'll be fine."  
>Rika looked down to her feet and started crying. She untied her mask, got on her knees and cried into her hands.<br>Rata looked around, not quite sure what to do. She knelt down alongside her and gave her a small hug, she thought that was what she was supposed to do.  
>It seemed to be working, because Rika leaned into the hug as she continued to cry.<br>"Rata, I just don't know what to do now..." Rika sobbed, "What would Flow say?"  
>With that, her grip got a little tighter.<br>"I may not know her very much, or you for that matter, but I'm sure she would say something like how you are strong. You can make it through this. And once you do, you'll be so much stronger because of it."  
>Rika looked up at Rata with tears in her cyan eyes.<br>"Really?" she asked.  
>Rata gave her a reassuring smile.<br>"Absolutely."  
>Rika cuddled onto Rata and purred with joy. She was looking for her mask with her tail. She found it and was on her tail.<br>Rata chuckled a little bit, then smiled.  
>"Alright, well are you still up for a little bit of a walk, or do you want to head back?"<br>With that, Rika nodded. She tied her mask back on once her tears dried up. When they returned, Flow was still awake. Rika went back in her sleeping bag.  
>"Thank you, Rata," she said, "It's good to see Rika smiling again."<br>"Well I managed to cheer her up. Anyway, I think we're all pretty tired, so lets get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us." 


	11. Chapter 11

Rika woke up by Flow's hand shaking her shoulder.  
>"Wake up, little sis," she mewed, "Roll up that sleeping bag and let's get moving."<br>Rika yawned and packed up her sleeping bag.  
>Around her, everyone was slowly starting to wake up. Yumi's bird instincts had her wake up long ago, and she was now poking Toshi to wake up. He begrudgingly did so.<br>Nairi started to wake up with some stretching, and then started to pack up her stuff.  
>"Sparky hasn't woken up yet," Toshi added.<br>Nairi shook the sleeping Eletrike boy awake.  
>Sparky woke up quickly once he was shaken, and almost instinctively attacked her. Luckily he managed to identify who it was before anything bad happened.<br>"Sorry..."  
>"It's alright, but come on. We have stuff to do." Nairi smiled.<br>Sparky was releaved nothing serious happened. Nairi kisses him in his forehead. Before she could touch his lips with hers, Toshi called out.  
>"Hey! You two lovebirds can make out later! We got a long road ahead of us!"<br>Nairi was a little annoyed. Rika was still thinking of Huey, but she has time to pack up.  
>Rata looked at the crowd of kids, and then spoke up as everyone was getting ready.<br>"Alright, Toshi's right. We have a long day ahead of us. That being said I actually don't have that much planned. But what I do have planned will take a long time."  
>"Okay," Mandy added, "I get the picture now..."<br>The group started walking again as the sun was rising. It was like 9:23 a.m now and Rika was still close to Flow. The blind Meouth girl direct her sightless eyes on her little sister.  
>"Stay close to me and you'll be fine," she purred.<br>Rika sighed and looked at Nairi and Sparky walking together, Toshi and Yumi too. Rika turned her head back to her front view and looked up at the sky as Mandy and Rata flew above her.  
>"Okay, so I think I should probably tell you guys what I have planned. What I think I should do is teach you guys how to hunt properly, or at the very least how to get used to the taste." Rata took this chance to land so that everyone could hear her properly without the wind disrupting her.<br>"If your ever stuck in a survival situation you sometimes can't trust the plants growing around you. To be honest, I'd trust an animal more than a plant."  
>Toshi was a little annoyed.<br>"Yumi got sick, didn't she?" he called out, "I trust the herbs that healed her! Herbs are very healthy to sick or injured mew mews!"  
>"I had to agree," Flow mewed, "Herbs are found almost everywhere!"<br>Nairi sighed.  
>"Hunting won't be so tough," Sparky added, "I hunted for myself when I was living by myself."<br>"True, herbs are common," Rata nodded, "but they don't always provide lots of sustenance. You need to gather a lot for it to be relevant, so you'd pretty much be gathering them all day. Meat is generally more satisfying.  
>"Sparky, do you think you could help me demonstrate? I have a feeling my methods would be a little difficult for them..."<br>"I'll be glad to," Sparky smiled, "after we stop and rest that is."  
>Rika liked that idea and remembered she asked Mandy what roast Rabbit taste like. So hunting will get her mind off things for a while.<br>For the next couple of minutes everyone simply sat down and enjoyed the banter while resting. It was mostly just light-hearted irrelevant stuff.  
>"Okay, what's going on here?" Toshi asked, "My feet are killing me..."<br>He got up and dipped his feet in a near by stream. He saw minnows swimming away from him when he got his feet in the water after he took his shoes and socks off.  
>"Those minnows swam away because your feet stink," Mandy teased.<br>"Cut the act," Toshi said calmly, "They were just aching, okay?"  
>Nairi and Sparky were just laying on the grass. Nairi knew she can try to get her chance of a kiss. Yumi went up to Toshi and decided to kiss Toshi on his nose. Flow covered Rika's eyes, and waits for Rata's speech. Nairi and Sparky were making out behind a log and also Toshi and Yumi were kissing while the Minun boy's feet soak in the stream. Mandy told Rata it's the right time for hunting lessons.<br>"Alright, so Sparky you ready for the demonstration?" Rata asked.  
>"Huh?"<br>Sparky almost forgot to show others to hunt as he pulls away from Nairi for a bit.  
>"Yeah... I almost forgot..."<br>He got in a nice spot of tall marsh grass.  
>"You need to keep hidden and don't make sound or breath too heavy," he said, "I'll use that acorn over there on the other side of this marsh grass."<br>He crept slowly and quietly.  
>"As soon as you get close enough and when your prey has its back turned, this is your right moment to strike. For flying types, go with Rata's method."<br>Sparky pounced on the acorn and used his nail to poke a hole in the nut.  
>Rata stood up and stretched for a moment, and then launched herself into the air. "For flying types, we have a little bit of an easier time. So long as you don't make too much noise, the prey probably won't think to look up."<br>She had been planning to use a rock or something, but she actually had spotted a field mouse instead. She tried to be quiet so that she wouldn't scare it away.  
>"You have to be careful. Once your above it, you have to dive down and pounce on it. Like this."<br>She flew up a little higher, and then swooped down onto the mouse. As she unfolded her wings to slow her decent, she grabbed the mouse off the ground. She landed, and then walked over to the group. She killed it with a swift nip to the spine, and showed it off to the group.  
>"It's best to kill it with minimal damage to the carcass, such as breaking or severing it's spine."<br>"What are you, an owl?" Mandy chuckled.  
>Yumi knudged the Markrow girl.<br>"Let me get a go on that squirrel over there," she said quietly.  
>Yumi watched it and then dived like a hawk and nearly got her hands on that squirrel, but it ran away before she could grab it. Mandy laughed.<br>"That was terrible!" she taunted.  
>Rata laughed a little bit too.<br>"Don't worry, it takes a few tries. It probably would be easier if we split up though. How about this? We separate and try a little bit on our own, and if anyone needs help either me or Sparky will be available to help."  
>Yumi and Mandy both nodded and went in different directions. Mandy spotted a rabbit then remembered how she tried it when it was cooked. She dived like a hawk and grabbed the rabbit and used her nail to kill it.<br>"Not bad on your first try," Toshi smiled, "I got a bigger rabbit."  
>"I thought your feet ache," Mandy moaned.<br>"They're better now," Toshi added, "I bet Rika will get something pretty big..."  
>And that is what Rika was trying to do. She was watching a turkey and she pounced on it. The turkey gobbled wildly trying to buck Rika off, but Rika clawed on it, making its neck bleed. Soon the turkey stopped moving and collapsed.<br>"Wow, that was great, Rika!" Nairi called out, "You caught something twice your size!"  
>"Haha thanks..." Rika smiled.<br>Flow was having a bit more difficulty. The smell of prey wasn't familiar to her, and she wasn't quite sure what to look for. They were also extremely quiet, and it was hard for her to identify anything over the sound of grass.  
>Eventually she decided to stand still and listen for anything. She slowed down her breathing, and took deep, silent breaths.<br>Suddenly she heard some grass swish, and she pounced towards the sound.  
>"A Gini hen..." she mewed, "May as well take that back to camp..."<br>Everyone caught plenty of prey, even Rika's catch topes them all.  
>"Rika, that sure is a big turkey!" Yumi added, "You must be lucky..."<br>Rika purred, wished Huey would be there to see it. Flow got back with her kill.  
>"It was all I can find," she mewed.<br>Sparky had arrived, and upon seeing Rika's catch his jaw dropped.  
>Rata's response was a lot more vulgar.<br>"Watch your language..." Flow hissed.  
>"Sorry," Rata moaned.<br>"Hope Rika didn't hear that..." Nairi sighed.  
>"Let's eat Rika's catch for tonight," Toshi added, "I'm sure it'll last a whole night."<br>"I'll do the fire," Sparky offered.  
>He got the fire started and got Rika's catch and plucked all the feathers. Rika took one of the big feathers and put it in her bag to show her mother.<br>While some went to cook the turkey, Rata and Sparky gave everyone a quick lesson on how to preserve the food you didn't eat. They would probably eat it tomorrow or something.  
>Flow was very proud of her little sister and let her sleep on her lap. Flow was getting very tired and fell asleep on her sleeping bag. Rika snuggled under her older sister's arm and fell asleep. Toshi watched carefully.<br>"Flow and Rika are asleep all ready," Nairi added, "Guess they are pretty tired. We can watch you..."  
>"You guys should probably get some sleep as well. We'll be taking a hike tomorrow," Rata smiled.<br>Yumi yawned and fell asleep. 


	12. Chapter 12

Soon the turkey was gone and eaten and everyone was asleep. When morning came, Rika woke up and saw a boy looking at her.  
>"Huey, what are you doing here?" she asked.<br>"I just happen to follow the scent of roast turkey and it brought me here," Huey answered.  
>"I caught that turkey and we ate it," Rika mewed.<br>"Wait a sec, you caught that turkey all by yourself?" Huey asked.  
>"Yes, and I have one of its feathers to prove it," Rika answered.<br>She showed Huey the feather and placed it back in her bag. Rika heard Flow waking up and Huey said good bye and flew off.  
>"What was that?" Flow asked sleepily.<br>"N-nothing!" "Are you sure? I though I heard something."  
>"It must have been your imagination. You must still be kind of tired." Rika tried to laugh sincerely, but it ended up more nervous than anything.<br>"Sounded like some wings flapping," Flow mewed.  
>"It must of been a bird..." Rika answered, "You know the early bird gets the warm..."<br>"..I suppose thats reasonable." Flow was still suspicious, but decided to drop the subject.  
>"Hey, what's going on?" Yumi asked.<br>"Nothing..." Rika mewed.  
>"Maybe Rika is up to something..." Flow said, glaring at her little sister.<br>"Oh, maybe her belly's so full, she did get kind of dizzy," Mandy chuckled.  
>"Shut up, Mandy!" Flow hissed.<br>Rika cringed under low's sudden hostility, and held up her hands innocently.  
>"I.. I don't know what you guys are talking about. It was probably just a bird or something..."<br>Mandy was just getting too cocky.  
>"I swear, Mandy!" Flow growled, "If you tease my sister one more time, I'll kick your butt!"<br>"Ooohhh, I'm so scared," Mandy taunted, "What's a blind girl like you going to kick my butt? I wouldn't count on it, if you can..."  
>Toshi woke up and so did Nairi.<br>"What's all the racket?" the sleepy Minun boy asked.  
>"Just trying to get Mandy off of Rika's back," Flow answered.<br>"Come on Mandy, let's just drop it. It's probably not that important." Nairi decided to back Rika up. "What? Come on Toshi, you've got to be on my side right?" Mandy wailed.  
>"Sorry, I'm siding with Rika." Toshi added.<br>"Ugh. Fine. Whatever. You guys suck." Mandy rolled her eyes.  
>"What did you say?" Flow hissed, "You better take that back!"<br>Rika covered her ears. Yumi was getting agitated.  
>"KNOCK IT OFF!" she screeched, "For once, let's not scare away the prey here."<br>"Jeez... What are you guys up to? Wanna fill me in?" Rata had sleepily gotten up, having been awoken by the sound of a possible fight.  
>"Flow and Mandy are getting ticked at each other, and threatening each other. Yumi is trying to calm them down." Nairi explained.<br>"At least someone has sense." Mandy added.  
>"Will you not yell," Sparky wailed, "I have a headache from all this."<br>Rika growled at Mandy for trying to bicker with her sister.  
>"Let's not try to get mad now," Yumi said, "We should go on a hike. Save that anger when we run into a fight with rouge mew mews."<br>"That sounds like a great idea! Let's do that," Sparky smiled.

The group started walking and Rika was worried if Mandy would get Flow angry again and tried to keep her calm, and Yumi will help with that. Toshi was glad Yumi broke the fight before there was any damage. Nairi walked behind her brother with Sparky by her side. Flow tries to remain calm. Mandy was flying above them. For a while, Rata was flying as well. At some point however she landed and started to look at the area surrounding them as they walked. This confused several of the kids, and they honestly thought it was kind of strange, but they decided not to judge. It was probably just something she picked up while living alone. Yumi flew up and looked down at her.  
>"Is everything all right?" she asked.<br>"Maybe. There's this strange stuff on the plants around us. It should be nothing but I'm not sure."  
>"Yeah, sometimes there are- Rata, don't touch those!"<br>Yumi quickly got Rata's hand away from the strange herbs.  
>"Those are itch leaves! Touch those and you'll be itching like crazy!"<br>"Yeah, I understand that. It wasn't the herbs that I was looking at, it was the stuff on it."  
>Taking her hand back from Yumi, she motioned towards the strange, web-like material covering the plants.<br>"Thats what I was looking at."  
>"Okay, but I had to-"<br>Yumi stopped and listened to the sound.  
>"Did you hear that?" she asked Rata.<br>Rata didn't at first, but she then quickly identified where the sound was coming from. She tensed, and prepared to attack.  
>Yumi flew high in the air and prepares for an attack. She dive bombed her enemy and tackled it, but it kicked Yumi off and set her flying and rolled on the ground on banged on a tree.<br>"Yumi, are you all right?" Toshi asked.  
>"There's something in that bush..." his girlfriend wailed.<br>Rata had crouched and prepared to tackle, but her wings brushed against the web like substance. Through what little contact was made, she felt an electric shock that forced her to withdraw.  
>Mandy, unaware of the type of threat, charged right into the bush to attack the faceless opponent.<br>"It's a Spinerack rouge mew mew!" Toshi cried.  
>He used volt tackle and knocked out his opponint out cold.<br>"Hang on, Rata. I'll get you off those webs," Sparky added, "I'll suck up the sparks in the webs while getting you unstuck."  
>"That's strange..."<br>"What is?" Toshi asked casually as he worked on helping Rata.  
>"Those webs were electrified... but spinerak isn't an electric type is it?"<br>"It's a bug type and Yumi should beat it," Toshi added, "or Mandy."  
>Yumi tackled the rouge mew mew and use sand attack to blind it.<br>"You angered the wrong bird girl!" she shouted.  
>"Yeah... but how would the Spinerak electrify the webs?" Mandy asked.<br>"I don't know!" Toshi wailed.  
>"What's going on here?" Flow asked.<br>"We heard cries," Nairi added.  
>"We thought you need backup," Rika mewed.<br>"Get Rata out of here, now!" Toshi added, "and maybe Sparky and I will question that rouge."  
>"I can handle myself you guys..." Rata gingerly folded her wings, and then started to mentally prepare herself for the interrogation.<br>"Boys..." Flow mumbled.  
>"So overprotective..." Nairi grumbled.<br>"You okay, Rata?" Rika asked.  
>"Yeah, just a little shaken up. Nothing I can't handle though, I only brushed the web."<br>"I think Yumi might have herbs with her from our first camp site," Nairi added, "You better get use to the herbs, Rata, because they help you get well, even if they're not strong enough for your taste buds."  
>"You can put them in her food when she eats meat," Flow whispered in her cousin's ear.<br>"Guys it's just a little bit of static. Not that big of a deal. Let's just focus on this guy." She motioned towards the almost awakening mew mew. Rika and Flow started growling at the stranger and ejected their claws. Nairi was prepared to fight and her cheeks lid up and static spark out of them. Mandy was above them, getting ready to attack as well. Eventually the spinerak started to wake up, and froze when it saw all of the mew mew's surrounding it. With fear in it's eyes, it somehow managed to stammer out a quick question.  
>"Wh... what do you want w-with me?"<br>"We need answers!" Toshi snapped.  
>"What are you doing here, Hutch?" Sparky huffed.<br>"You know him?" Nairi asked.  
>"I sure do," Sparky wailed, "He is one or Kenji's followers. I wonder what he's doing here?"<br>"Listen, I come in peace!" Hutch cried.  
>"Yeah, I'm sure you do." Toshi scoffed.<br>"Guys, just let him be. The kid's scared out of his mind."  
>Hutch looked at the crowbat girl in fear, naturally being paranoid of the hunter-prey dynamic. When there was no pouncing or killing or almost cannibalism, he swallowed and continued to try and speak.<br>"I was just passing through. I don't even live here, I just got lost.. I got really scared though because I think someone else is in this territory..."  
>"Okay, who?" Sparky asked.<br>"Give the boy a rest," Flow purred, sheving her claws.  
>She came up to Hutch and purred and bruched her cheek on his. That made Hutch blush a little bit.<br>"Unbelievable!" Mandw squawked, "You're getting to like him now, Flow?"  
>"Looks like you got yourself an admirer," Nairi added.<br>Flow blushed a little.  
>"No no no no!" she wailed.<br>"Ha..." Hutch looked away for a moment before going back to the topic at hand.  
>"I.. um.. I don't know. I think it's either another arachnid like me or an electric type. Maybe both, I don't know. I just want to get out of here before he tries to eat me..."<br>"Okay," Toshi added, "We'll ecept your judgment on this one. Let's get him back to camp, guys."  
>"Are you kidding me?" Mandy replied, "How are we going to carry him."<br>"He's seriously injured," Yumi said, looking at the weak Spinerak boy, "Let's get his wounds tended when we get back to camp."  
>"I don't know how you're going through this, but okay..." Nairi wailed.<br>They took Hutch back to camp and Yumi started tending his wounds.  
>"Ouch, watch it, lady!" Hutch wailed.<br>"Stop squrming," Yumi added.  
>"Why did you run away from Kenji?" Sparky asked his fomar comrad.<br>"I ran away because I descovered the real cause of my parents' death..." Hutch wined, "Din't tell him where I'm hiding..."  
>"Kenji's dead, Hutch," Toshi added in, "I killed him and he was pretty bad. I think you did the right thing here." <p>


	13. Chapter 13

"I never promised you anything, Hutch!" Sparky growled, "You were siding Kenji all this time and you didn't stop him from killing my mother!"  
>"Sparky, I was too scared," Hutch wailed, "I was nothing but a coward! I never promised Kenji I would kill! I know you're angry, and you have a right!"<br>"I thought you were my friend," Sparky huffed with such anger, "I would never forget that day when you betrayed me!"  
>Nairi always heard stories about Kana and Ivy switching sides.<br>"I'm sorry, Sparky..." Hutch wailed, "I switched sides now!"  
>"Yeah, sure! Likely story, am I right?!" Sparky's voice at this point was all but a snarl. He was tense, and his tail was lashing. "You're the reason she's dead!"<br>The spinerak boy froze, and seemed to completely collapse in on himself. He didn't burst into tears, but seemed like he was trying his best not to. He seemed to be trying to get smaller, reduce himself to nothing. He mumbled something, and that only further enraged Sparky.  
>"What did you say?!"<br>"I SAID I KNOW. I know it's my fault!"  
>"Sparky, settle down," Nairi wailed.<br>"Listen to your girlfriend," Hutch added, "At least she believes me..."  
>"Nairi, stay out of this," Sparky said calmly, then turned back to Hutch.<br>"Look... I'm not asking you to forgive me. I know that's too much to ask. I'm just asking, no BEGGING you to help."  
>"Why should I?" Sparky huffed, "You caused me so-"<br>"Guys, forget the fight," Toshi wailed, "but I think we've got bigger problems..."

Rika growled at the shadow. Flow was ready to fight as well, so is Yumi and Mandy.  
>Hutch looked at the shadow, and immediately felt terrified. Spider instinct told him that there was something bigger, better, and hungrier looking right at him.<br>There was a spark of yellow which briefly lit up the figure, but not enough to warn them about what was coming. As quickly as it came and went, the spark grew and was launched at Yumi.  
>For a moment, it seemed like a normal web, and so she wasn't worried. After that moment had past she felt the intense static electricity that was trapped in the web being released, and she fell to the ground in pain.<br>Toshi leaped on the enemy and bit his shoulder, very deep that his teeth broke the skin. Sparky helped Toshi by destracting the enemy to forget the pain on his shoulder. Toshi's teeth dug deeper and the pain got worse for the huge rouge mew mew. He tried to pull Toshi off him, but the Minun boy still has his teeth in his skin, ignoring the blood toughing him. Rika got Yumi to safety and started healing her while Flow backs her up while Rika tends Yumi's wounds.  
>"Hang on, Toshi!" Nairi cried, "I'm coming!"<br>She noticed Toshi had his teeth in the rouge's skin on his shoulder. He spotted Nairi and stared to grab her.  
>"Leave my sister alone, pea-brain!" Toshi hissed, bitting deeper in the skin.<br>The rouge had enough and tried to pull Toshi off him, but Toshi thought he clung on the skin and he'll make him rip it off. When he did, Toshi ripped off the skin and spit it out and Mandy caught him when he was falling.

"Let me clean you up," the Murkrow girl said, "Your mouth is covered in blood..."  
>Mandy washed Toshi's mouth in a river near them and Nairi knew the wound Toshi gave the enemy was bleeding very heavy. Flow blinded the rouge with her claws and he can't see now.<br>"You've got a lot of guts making that rouge rip his own skin off," Mandy grinned, "That's a pretty powerful jaw you got there."  
>"Thanks, Mandy," Toshi smiled.<br>"Anytime, cousin."  
>Toshi didn't know how to thank Mandy enough for her effort.<br>"What about Yumi? She's hurt!"  
>"Rika has it covered," Mandy reasured him, "She's tending her wounds. I think Rika will do anything to keep her family safe from harm, even if Yumi becomes her cousin in law..."<br>"Yeah, Auntie Tammy taught Yumi well to be the next healer," Toshi smiled, "According to the mew mew laws, It's okay for healers to have boyfriends, and the child has to be a girl to carry out her mother's dudies and follow her footsteps."  
>"Gee, are you planning to marry her?" Mandy asked.<br>"Yes," Toshi answered, "and her knolage of herbs are as important as family and love..."  
>Mandy smiled. It was her real smile and she begins to trust Toshi.<br>"Forget those mean things I said about you," Toshi wailed, "You're so wonderful..."  
>With that, Mandy teared up a bit.<br>"Really, I know you're part of our family."  
>Mandy was sitting still with tears rolling down her cheeks.<br>"Mandy?" Toshi asked, tilting his head, "Are you crying? What's wrong?"  
>"I'm just overjoyed, Toshi," Mandy answered, "I never felt this good in 13 years..."<br>Toshi nodded respectfully.  
>"Is that why your mom kept you a secret?" he asked.<br>"Mother didn't want Auntie Am or Auntie Mya to find out about my father," Mandy moaned, "I was cared by Kana, then by Angela. Kana had her own kids to take care of, so she told me Angela would be a suitable mother for me..."  
>"But Angela's an ice type," Toshi wailed.<br>"I know, and she took care of me..." Mandy wailed, "Guess my mother didn't want anyone to know. Angela was a very good mother to me during my younger years. Now I forgave my mom for sending me away, and I know I-"  
>"Mandy, I see what you went through," Toshi smiled, "It must be tough not knowing who your real mother is. You found out after you woke up from a dream. Secrets can't be hidden forever you know."<br>Mandy smiled for real again.  
>"After the times I called you a witch, I take them back."<br>Toshi started hugging her and Mandy looked surprised.  
>'Is this how cousins bond?' she thought.<br>She didn't know what to do and slowly moved her hands and got her arms to hug her cousin back and her wings were spread open.  
>"Toshi!" Sparky cried, "Mandy! Forget the cousin bonding time! I could use some backup here!"<br>"Toshi!" Nairi cried, "Help me!"  
>"Hang on, sis!" Toshi called out, letting go of Mandy for a bit, "I'm coming!"<br>He jumped on the rouge's back and Mandy used arial ace when Toshi got out of her way. Toshi got his sister to safety. Mandy took down the rouge with one final blow using faint attack.

Rata looked at the fainted body of the enemy, and knew that it wouldn't be long before it woke up. Despite the heavy damage, she knew it was probably incredibly strong. It probably knew this part of the forest better than any of them.  
>It might try and get revenge.<br>"Let's get out of here... Quickly. We'll help Yumi better when we're away."  
>"Right!" Nairi panted.<br>"Toshi ripped some skin off that big poluka!" Mandy added, "You should of seen it, Rata!"  
>"He was so brave," Rika put in.<br>Sparky picked up Yumi and carried her.  
>Yumi looked at Toshi, how brave he was and strong.<br>"I did it for you, my love," he grinned.  
>"Right, right. Toshi's a hardcore guy who isn't afraid of nothing, let's get out of here." The crowbat girl stepped in between the couple and pushed them along the way towards the camp.<br>"Why are you in such a rush?" Mandy giggled. Where as everyone was overjoyed, she seemed tense.  
>"That Garvantula right there? Yeah, he's probably the big, bad wolf around these parts. If he isn't, there's probably some other one who's a friend of his."<br>"And why's it a big deal?"  
>"Those things hurt, a lot. They're hunters. If it learned that it can't take us down all together, it'll take us out one by one. We just invaded it's territory, and ticked it off. We are not on it's good side."<br>"Yeah, and I think Toshi has done more than anyone here," Nairi added, "A boy's love for his girlfriend is the best kind of strength."  
>Toshi did feel heroic and watched Rika tending Yumi's wounds when Sparky set her down. He looked at Mandy grinning.<br>"Is she okay, Rika?" he asked.  
>"She's okay, but I think I need an extra hand," Rika mewed, "Rata, I need help. Get some Cherri berries so she can be free from the static."<br>The crobat girl exited the camp, and went out in search for the healing berries. Naturally, she was paranoid. She didn't understand why those kids didn't see the threat at hand!  
>...But then again they did have the luxury of growing up surrounded by family and protection, never having to worry about whose territory they were stomping in on.<br>Why does feral laws have to be so cutthroat?  
>Nairi followed Rata quietly. She knew what she would be up to something. <p>


End file.
